Darkness in our Veins
by Westend231
Summary: That night, Voldemort goes to the Longbottoms and sends Bellatrix to take care of the Potters. With Harry growing up in an orphanage will he be the same boy we know, or will he succumb to the dark? Will go through Harry's years at Hogwarts and will get much darker as he matures.
1. The Boy

**Hello Harry Potter Fanfiction Readers. I have recently joined the site after years. I actually really enjoyed it a decade ago but then work and family took my mind off of it but now that I'm retired what else could I do!**

 **This is a fic about Neville being the boy who lived and Harry having all the pain yet nobody knows who he is. It's going to go through his years at Hogwarts and involve a relationship with Tom Riddle. Please give me a chance as I have been off writing for a while.**

It was the evening of Halloween 1981. Lily was putting her baby to bed. He was adorable rolling around. Harry had with his father's untidy black hair, and her bright green eyes, his facial features already showing an aristocratic look, that was prominent in the pure-blood families. Harry was smiling up at his mother, gnawing on his knuckle.

Lily smiled at her little boy. What she couldn't have known was that her family had been betrayed and that has she left the room that was the last time she would ever truly see her son.

Bellatrix Lestrange looked over at her husband with a grin. The Dark Lord himself had given them this mission and she could never fail him. She looked up at the Large house with glee. The Potters had caused much grief to his Lordship and she felt honoured to be given the job of dealing with them, She pointed her wand at the door and whispered a charm. It opened with ease.

She slipped through the door with her husband and friend Barty close behind. She could hear people talking in the kitchen. She slowly moved towards the door. Excitement rushed through her veins. To be given such a gift was not something to be taken lightly.

" _Bombarda!"_ She screamed, swishing her wand at the door. It blew off its hinges. The Potter's turned their heads but it was already too late as Barty had fired disarming spells. James Potter, ever the hero rushed in front of his wife.

Bellatrix had no time for such frivolities, shooting a crucio at him. James began to scream as his knees buckled. He had never felt this kind of pain that seemed to shoot throughout his entire body. He collapsed on the floor as he could not escape it. Lily dropped beside him, "JAMES! OH GOD PLEASE! STOP IT! PLEASE I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

Bellatrix smiled and released him, "Bring me the boy,"

All the blood drained from Lily's face. "No… No please! Not Harry! Take me but don't hurt Harry!"

Bellatrix smiled. The weakness this woman showed was unbelievable, it was moments like these that she was glad that she didn't have any brats of her own. She took another step towards Lily and pointed her wand at the woman, " _Crucio._ "

Lily's face contorted as she two felt the pain. Her body felt like it was on fire and she could do nothing to stop it. Her brain was foggy and she couldn't think. She wanted to fight back but the pain was too much for her to handle. Bellatrix looked over as her husband started to torture James again. Barty had begun to go through the house, trashing the place.

Bellatrix bent down and looked at Lily, "Your going to die tonight, Lily Potter. You and your husband. Your son, now the little half blood maybe he can live. Maybe I'll take him raise him as a Proper Pureblood."

Lily Potter, even in this state, loved her son more than anything. That was how she saw through the pain and punched Bellatrix right in the nose. It broke Bellatrix's concertation.

"You," She said with a growl, "Do not touch my son!"

Lily jumped for her wand. She turned to where Bellatrix was standing, Holding her nose which was bleeding.

"You little mud blood bitch!" Bellatrix screamed. Lily Potter said nothing, firing a stupefy at her. Bellatrix blocked it and fired back a hex. This continued as the spells got more and more powerful. Bellatrix was surprised at how good the mud blood was. She had begun to sweat and was beginning to think that Lily Potter might beat her. She fired another killing curse at the woman but again she dodged.  
Lily had the advantage and pressed it by firing three spells at Bellatrix rapidly so that she could not block retaliate as Lily got close enough to win this. Bellatrix did her best to block but finally missed one and got hit with a minor stinging curse. She dropped to her knees and when she looked up Lily had her wand to her neck.

Bellatrix dropped her wand, More out of shock than anything. She had never seen a mud blood who had that much control. Lily turned to her husband who also had gotten the advantage on Rodolphus. She turned back to the vile woman in front of her deciding what to do.

"Drop your wands, Blood traitors." Lily turned and gasped, Barty Crouch Jr. stood holding Harry with a wand to the babies neck. Harry didn't seem to be to bothered other than reaching out to his mother. Bellatrix began to laugh and Rodolphus smirked up at James Potter. Lily cried as she dropped her wand.

"Usually I would just kill you mud blood but that seems too easy for you." Bellatrix said, tapping her wand to her chin, "I have to do something worse than kill you."

Lily said nothing. A million things ran through her mind as she thought of her death. What would they do with Harry? Her baby. A sob escaped her lips. James was screaming Harry's name.

"Now," Bellatrix said with an evil smile, "Let's try this one again… **_CRUCIO!_** :"

This time it was much stronger than before. Lily tried to concentrate on her son but her mind began to blur. Bellatrix was shaking as she poured all her magic into the spell. The house was shaking around her. She caught a glimpse of her husband torturing James Potter.

Lily could feel her mind being ripped apart Her eyes rolled back and she started convulsing. Finally when Bellatrix let up the spell she knew that she had done her task. Lily and James Potter were no more. All She had to do now was take care of their brat and she could bask in the warmth of knowing she had served the dark lord well.

" _Stupifey!"_ Bellatrix was too late to see her cousin's spell fly at her. Sirius Black couldn't believe the devastation that had been laid upon his best mates house. When he had entered he had been filled with rage after seeing his deranged cousin Bella standing over poor Lily. He had used his Auror training, firing multiple incapacitating spells at the targets. To his dismay Rodolphus and Barty blocked and apparoted into thin air leaving behind Bella.

He walked over to her. "Your going to Azkaban for this one Bella."

Sirius had tears in his eyes as he looked at his friends. He hopped to god that whatever dark magic had been done to them could be undone. He looked over at baby Harry who was sitting in the corner as happy as a clam.

Bellatrix started laughing, "Oh dear cousin, the dark lord will free me before long and I'll have my chance to kill that filthy little half breed."

He filled with anger and screamed, " _Crucio!"_

Bellatrix's screams only made him feel worse. He tried it again but the spell was to violent for him. He lifted the spell and stared down at the woman who had once been his family.

"He'll kill you, you know." Bellatrix rasped, "The Dark Lord has many recourses… The boy will never be safe."

"He can't live forever Bella, we both know that the prophecy says someone will defeat him, your out of time." Sirius said shaking his head.

Bellatrix began to laugh. Sirius cringed at the sound. She looked at him dead in the eyes, "No, time is on our side."

She lunged for her wand and disapparited. Sirius swore looking around wand in hand. He should have incapacitated her.

He heard noises from outside and was relived when he saw Aurors. He walked to towards them.

"You came-" He didn't get a chance to explain before he was hit in the chest with a stunner. He dropped to the ground instantly.

"Got him!" One of them shouted. Another came and grabbed his wand testing it, "Last two spells were the Cruciatus Curse!"

Barty Crouch Senior looked a the scene while shaking his head. Two of his better young trainees. He had never trusted Black but he had been a damn good dueller. And James Potter, bright lad and a strong fighter. He looked down at the blank expression on the young man's face. He guessed that Black had held them under the spell for at least ten minutes.

The mind couldn't handle such harsh conditions. He looked over at the wife. He couldn't remember her name, Sunflower? Something strange he thought. Still, a shame two young wizards were taken by dark magic.

"Take Black to Azkaban. Bring the wand. We can have him tried on the wand alone." He said to Moody. The Wizengamot would have an emergency session as was quite common these days so that the Criminals were sent to the prison as quickly as possible.

Moody grumbled, "What about the boy?"

"His Grandmother?" He asked, "She still alive?"

 _ **Time Lapse**_

Euphemia Potter was ninety-six years old, born before the turn of the century she had not thought she would have survived to this point. While her dear husband had passed, she was happy. She had a son who was happy with his own family.

She had been happy until about an hour ago, when the head auror had informed her that her son and his wife had been brain damaged to the point that they couldn't speak by the young boy she had taken in ten years ago. He had quickly dropped her infant grandson off at her manor home before heading out to try Sirius Black. She tried to think of any reason why this would happen but she couldn't. With her heart broken she had sat looking at the young babe that was sitting before her. He smiled up at her with the gaps in his teeth.

"Oh Harry," She said with a sob. "What are we going to do?"

 **The Daily Profit**

 ** _YOU KNOW WHO DEFEATED!_**

 ** _By R. Almeidas_**

 _He who must not be name was vanquished last eve by our new Saviour Neville Longbottom. The young mister Longbottom, only just over a year old was targeted by the dark lord himself. His noble and brave Parents fought to their valiant demises to protect their son. We do not know the details of what transpired but we do know that the Dark Lord is no more. Death Eaters are fleeing and attacks have dwindled._

 _This reporter has heard that the boy and his grandmother had been taken to a secret location by order of wizarding hero Albus Dumbledore. More to come on news of our new hero._

 _Our Minister had this to say,_

 _"We give our thanks to Alice and Frank Longbottom, staunch supporters of the minister through their service as Aurors. We hope the Lady Dowager Longbottom and her Grandson are safe with the headmaster."_

 _More on his defeat in A3_

 ** _SIRIUS BLACK- DERANGED TORTURER!_**

 ** _By Rita Skitter_**

 _While word of the Dark Lords defeat spreads, we have news that Sirius Black, Long suspected supporter of He Who must not be named and member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, attacked the house of James and Lily Potter._

 _James is part of the Wealthy Potter family. Welsh in Origin and a loyal light magic family. Granted their Wizengamot seat in the late sixteenth century they have championed many reforms. Black's family has a darker origin and from an inside source we know that the two hated each other._

 _Black used dark magic to destroy Lily and James Potter's minds leaving their only son in the care of James's mother and the widow of the famed potion maker Fleamont Potter. A sad fate but the Potter Family can rejoice in knowing that with the Dark Lord gone they have nothing to fear!_

Euphemia slammed down the paper. Nothing to fear. She had to fear everything. She worried what would happen once she was gone. Harry would have nobody. Lily had told her how her sister had felt. She willed her body to last long enough.

She was a Rosier and she would not falter.

 _ **Time Lapse**_

Five years. Her body was fading. She had done her best to instill the proper way for a child to act on Harry. She had him reading books. She had him visualizing magic. Harry had already had a couple of bouts of accidental magic. He had turned her hair blue and caused a chandler to shatter.

She had almost cried when it had happened. She remembered when James had levitated her cat. Harry was so different. So quite and polite. But he always had a smile for his grandma. He had a bit of a lisp but she knew that with age it would go away. She knew that her husband's family was not a fan of dark magic but she had been raised to understand dark magic. It was part of how she grew up.

Harry would be protected that was all she cared about.

But now she lay in bed in Saint Mungo's. They said it was a minor flair up of her Dragon pox which she had beat years before. That was how they phrased it the day before. She knew. She could feel it. That was when her fingers began to bleed.

Harry had been brought in to see her. She couldn't imagine how she looked.

"Are you scared Harry, dear boy?" She asked. The boy nodded, Tears present in his eyes. He clutched his stuffed animal in the form of a black dog that he had had since birth. Euphemia looked over and smiled sadly.

"Of course you are. Your grandmother is dying and the world is on fire. " She wished that Fleamont was here. He was the only one she could trust. He had always known what to do. She no longer could feel her legs.

"If history teaches us one thing it is this: terrible things happen to this family." She gasped out. The pain ran through her body. She couldn't breath," This family has had money and influence, but we do not yet possess what really matters. The power. Without it, you will perish. And all of those you love along with you. For a king without a castle, is no king, at all."

Harry frowned, he didn't understand. He loved his Grandma and wanted her to come home. She was talking about death and crying. He wept along side her. "Grandma?"

"You dream of paradise, but you must build it for yourself, and let all the world we still can be great."

Euphemia Potter felt her eyes dim and knew her time in this world was at it's end. She caught one last glimpse at her grandson before she was gone forever.

Harry Potter was alone in the world.

 _ **Time Lapse**_

Dr. Damon Diero didn't like this part of his job. He had just met with the Liason for Magical Children from the ministry. The woman had rushed in and told her that Harrold James Potter was to be placed at his muggleborn mother's sisters residence in a muggle city called Surrey.

He had quickly picked up the child and disapparited.

As he walked the boy down the street he looked up to see that he was indeed at number four privet drive. The house looked nice enough he thought. He looked down at his charge who seemed bewildered at what was happening.

"Right then, Mr. Potter… Well, this is your new home with your aunt. Go on then." He said. The boy walked to the door and turned around to look at the man who had brought him here but he was already gone.

Petunia Dursley was the most normal woman that she herself knew, thank you very much. She had no time for freaks; that was why she cut all ties with her younger sister, Lily. She just couldn't tolerate all of that talk of magic. And then she'd met Vernon, the love of her life. She had never told him of her and then Lily had ended up dying and it had never been an issue.

She knew that Lily had a boy as well but he had gone to live with her husband's grandmother. She had thought that was it and she would never have to deal with that kind of behavior again. If Petunia only knew how wrong she was. It changed when she opened the door to collect the morning delivery of fresh milk.

Upon opening the front door the blonde woman looked down to see an boy who looked to be about Dudley's age. He had Lily's beautiful green eyes. He looked up at her and whispered a hello. It was all she could do not to scream. He told her that his grandma had died and that the doctor man had told him that he would be living with her family.

Petunia began to fear. What would her husband think? What about the neighbors or even her sister in law! She couldn't even fathom what would be done to her reputation in the community. She knew that she had only one option. Get rid of the boy. She pulled him in quietly while she grabbed her car keys. She dragged him by the hand and threw him in the back before sweetly explaining that she had no room in her house and that she would take him to a place in the big city where he would get to play with lots of other kids.

Harry was unsure but he trusted his Aunt's words as he had no reason to doubt them. He began to picture this place and it sounded nice. He was only six so he trusted adults. Harry thought of all other friends he could make. Maybe they would want to see magic tricks.

Petunia finally got to the London Orphanage and grabbed Harry by the arm pulling him out. She yanked him along as she walked the steps of up to the building.

A woman sat at the front desk flipping through a magazine. She looked up with bored eyes at Petunia and Harry.  
"This boy was my sister's son and I am unable to provide for him." She said. The woman at the desk rolled her eyes, "Right, the boy can stay her till he gets a family."

The woman knew that the boy would have a tough time getting a family. He was too old by the look of it. And while his cute nose and vibrant eyes were nice, adopting parents rarely came along. Harry gulped as he looked around the place. This wasn't what he was thinking of at all. This place was scary.

 ** _Time Lapse_**

It had been six months since his aunt left and Harry cried ever night wanting to leave. Grandma wouldn't have wanted him to have to live here. Harry got picked on by the other kids. He had tried to make a friend the first day but the other boy had called him weird. After that they had called him a witch when he talked about magic and the older boys had begun to call him a fag or a queer because to them he looked feminine. The only person he liked was Ms. Abbey.

She could see that he wasn't doing well and had taken to reading to the little boy. She brought him picture books and small chapter books that he devoured. He had once accidentally called her mom and she had awkwardly blushed before leaving. That night he had sobbed into his pillow not knowing what he could do.

The morning after as he was walking down for Breakfast he got caught between two people who were shoving him. Tommy and Craig had been two of his biggest Antagonisers. They were two years older and had always thought he was a little creep.

"What're ya doing fag boy?" Tommy said pushing Harry into the wall. Craig pushed him from behind so that he fell forward down the stairs. Harry tumbled but found his footing miraculously at the last second. Tommy and Craig stood speechless. As Harry hurried onwards.

 _ **Time Lapse**_

At the age of eight Harry had settled in at the Orphanage. He knew that he was different and had to learn for himself that this was not a world of magic. This was a world of hate. He remembered the world his Grandma would use for these people. Muggles. Harry knew that one thing was certain in his life. Harrison James Potter would hate muggles till the day that he would die.

Harry was at that moment on a trip with the rest of the orphanage. In his public school he had learned about sea shells. So he had been walking along the beach trying to see if he could bring one into his class. The teacher had told him that he could get some extra credit if he did.

Harry now understood that people only value things like high grades and titles. That's why the Principal made everyone address him as such. Harry knew that the only way he could leave the Orphanage is if he did well so he put his heart towards studying. He got straight eyes in his third grade class. He worked hard so that people would know that he was smart therefore he had value.

As he bent over to examine a certain shell he was pushed into the water. From behind he could see Tommy and Craig along with their other friends.

They cheered as Tommy laughed. Harry stood up and clenched his fists. He hated these people.

"Hey fagboy," Tommy said with a laugh, "Got a boyfriend yet?"

Harry didn't respond. This seemed to make Craig angry as he pushed him. But when his hands touch Harry's shirt they began to sizzle. Craig began to scream in pain as he tried to remove his burning hands from Harry. Tommy pulled his friend back to see that Craig's hands had been burned to the bone on his palms.

Craig was crying profusely as was Harry. He didn't like these things but they were so mean. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Ms. Abbey ran towards Craig and brought him close, "What has happened?"

"It's the freak!" Tommy shouted looked at Harry with fear, "The freak made his hands burn up Miss he's a witch!"

Ms. Abbey looked at all the other boys as they nodded their heads and then looked at Harry with an emotion he had never seen on her face before. Fear. Harry began to ball even more.

He destroyed everything he touched, he could see why everyone thought he was a freak. Because he was.

Harry was up at the crack of dawn as was his usual in the morning. He looked out the window and willed it to be a good day. It was summer and he hated the summer. School was out and the only place to go was the library.

He walked down the stairs to the foyer where the receptionist Lisa was sitting. She looked up. "Oh Harry, you got a letter."

He looked at her with an odd expression. "I've got a letter?"

She rolled her eyes and threw the parchment at him. He caught it and looked down.

The first the first thing he read was Hogwarts.

 **That is my first attempt at any type of writing in along time so be gentle as I don't have a beta. Please do review it though as I would deeply enjoy hearing your thoughts.**


	2. The Professor

It was raining as Quirinus Quirrell walked toward the London orphanage. The building was run down, the bricks a dull grey. The door was oak and heavy. Inside which had once been probably a sitting room was a make shift office. A desk and chair alongside the stairs. He winced as the floors creaked with every step. He could feel his master disgust radiating from the back of his head. Trying to keep the pain he was feeling off of his face, Quirrell walked briskly across the room to the desk. The secretary seemed to be ignoring him as she chewed gum and admired her nails. The woman was not ugly per say but he didn't find the piercings and neck tattoo's appealing, perhaps he was just old fashion. Not wanting to be here any longer he began to ring the bell on her desk. The woman looked up with distaste at him.

"I am here about a scholarship opportunity for one of your children." He said, barely keeping the venom out of his voice.

"Oh well then… Which child?" She asked. He sighed, "A boy by the name of Harrold Potter."

"Oh… Well he's not the smartest boy. Uhm sir I don't usually spread gossip but the boy is bad news. People say young Harry is… possessed." The receptionist had fear in her eyes, she also had her hand rapped around the cross necklace she wore.

"Yes, yes I would like to see Harry Potter." Quirrell could not help but feel a small amount of pity for this woman. She had no idea of what she spoke of. She believed her god would strike down evil.

"Yes he's a trouble maker I can tell you that much. We've been having strange happenings 'round here. While the kids was on a trip one of the boys had an accident. His hands burned down to the bone. Nobody can prove the boy did any of it but we know it was 'im. Another girl was picking on him this year alls the sudden she fell down some stairs. Weird things like that keep happening." She said in her thick northern accent.

Quirrell's was slightly interested in the amount of magic that would have been used to create such effects. He knew of the Noble house of Potter. It was considered one of the more powerful houses. He was interested to see what the boy would be like.

"Well, I still need to meet with Mr. Potter anyway." Quirrell told her in a slightly annoyed tone of voice. This woman was just another muggle gossip.

"Alright then sir, If you'll follow me then." She told him. She turned and the corner and walked up the stairs, Quirrell trailing slightly behind her. She went to the room farthest back and stopped.

"This is his room, ugh he doesn't leave it too often. If you need anything else I'll be at my desk." Then she turned and walked back down the hallway.

After she left Quirrell knocked on the door and waited a few seconds before entering. It was then he got his first view of Harry Potter. The only thing that would seemed to stick out about the boy would be his vibrant green eyes. He appeared to be about a little small for an eleven year old, with the jet black unruly hair that seemed to go ever which way. He had marks and scars all over his arms. He looked at Quirrell with a small smile on his face

"Are you a wizard?" Harry asked.

Despite himself Quirrell couldn't help but smile. "Yes Harry, my name is Quirinus Quirrell, and I am here to take you to get your Hogwarts supplies."

"Do you teach at Hogwarts mister?" Harry replied while beaming. Quirrell could see that he had been waiting a very long time for this.

"I do Mr. Potter. I will be you defence against the dark arts teacher." Quirrell felt his master stir at the thoughts on the boy. As he took the boys hand and walked outside he felt his Lord seeing through his eyes. He knew that his lord had interest in him.

"Harry when I take you to get your things I will talk a little bit funny. I just get quite nervous in crowds." He told Harry. Harry looked a little bit confused. He then instructed Harry to take his arm for a side along apparition. Harry felt like he was being squeezed by a giant hand and all of the sudden. He wasn't outside the Orphanage, he was in front of an old pub.

As Harry followed him through the door of a pub called the Leaky Cauldron, he immediately began taking in everything around him. He watched in awe as several dishes and mugs rose in the air to their tables, he still remembered his Grandmother doing little tricks for him.

"Stay at my speed Harry. There are a lot of people here." Quirrell informed the boy who just nodded looking around in wonder. As He followed Quirrell out find an old wall he was disappointed. Where was everything?

Quirrell tapped the bricks in a pattern. Harry was shocked as the bricks began to pull themselves apart and unveiled a whole new street with shops lining either side of it. Turning to his Professor in awe Quirrell smirked at him.

"We must first go to Gringotts, it's the Wizarding Bank so we can get you some money for all of this." His professor informed him. And then they started walking towards a large building in the center of the Alley which stood like a light beacon, with its white marble Pillars. As they walked up the stairs towards the doors they stopped beside a plaque. Quirrell nudged him towards it and Harry noticed the plaque had writing on it.

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there._

"Why did we stop professor?" He asked. Quirrell was till staring at the sign, "Because Mr. Potter this isn't a threat it's a warning. Learn to differentiate."

Harry silently tried to think what the word the man had said meant. As they stepped through the doors he was shocked to see small creatures at the sat behind the desks. He pulled on Quirrell's sleeve.

"Professor," Harry asked with fear in his voice, "what are they?"

"Goblins, don't worry Harry they aren't anything to be afraid of." Quirrell said gently. Harry relaxed abit but was still on edge as they approached one.

"Hello, I am here with Mr. Harry Potter and he needs to make a withdrawal for his school supplies. He is eleven and about to go to Hogwarts for the first time."

"Very well, does Mr. Harry Potter have his key?" the goblin asked leaning over the side to look down a the young boy. He had a pointed nose and long hairs protruding from them. He also had talon like nails. His eyes narrowed at the small boy who gulped.

"Yes, I have Mr. Potter's key." Quirrell said showing the goblin the small key. The goblin nodded and asked for another goblin to take them. Harry thought that this goblin was less intimating as he was much shorter than him. This goblin didn't seem to want to scare Harry. He looked very bored with his job.

The cart ride that lead to the vaults was quite fast and Harry thought it much like the muggle roller coasters he saw on the telly. He even let out a little shout as they went upside down. Quirrell told him that this was his trust fund which his parents made for him when he was a baby. His father's family vault was much further down and a hassle to get to. It had a lot more money but also prized possessions.

"Lamp please." The goblin said. Harry passed the lantern to him and they walked to vault number 687. Once they were there the goblin spoke again." Key please."

As the goblin opened the door harry almost dropped the lamp. Huge mountains of gold silver and bronze stood before him. Quirrell began to tell him about the money system and instructed him to take at least forty galleons. He gave harry a small leather poach that would hold all of them. With that done Quirrell told Harry that he had other business to do and gave him his list.

He looked around at the stores trying to see if any matched what he needed. He was relived when he saw the shop Slugs and Jiggers. He was trying to find a cauldron and he couldn't see anywhere else in sight. He ran over to the shop and slipped in accidently bumping into a man.

"Oh I'm so sorry sir!" He said fearfully. The man turned to sneer at him. He had black greasy hair and a hooked nose. He looked Harry over before staring into his eyes. Harry thought he saw the man soften. Harry gave the man a smile with worried eyes.

The man muttered, "See that you don't do it again."

Harry tried searching for the objects on his list. As he walked out of the store slightly dejected he saw the sigh for Madame Malkin's. He let out a sigh of relief. As he walked through the door to see a kindly looking woman.

"Hogwarts, dear?" She said. Harry nodded quickly and she directed him up on a stool standing beside another boy. Harry looked to see that the boy was blonde with slicked back hair. He was staring at Harry with cool grey eyes. Harry turned back blushing a bit. He didn't want the first wizarding boy to think him a freak.

"Hello," said the boy, "Is it your first year at Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry shyly.

"I've already ordered my books but my mother is forcing me to do this in person," said the boy. "Though I am still very excited."

Harry nodded, trying not to seem to eager. The boy smiled at him.

"So, are you with your parents too?"

"Oh… no my parents are… they died." Harry said, struggling to figure out what to say.

"Oh," The boy seemed at a loss for words, "I'm sorry what happened?"

"They were killed by another wizard."

The conversation seemed to come to a stop after that. One of the Ladies was working on Harry now and he stayed quiet. He kept wondering if he shared to much information. Once they were both told they could step down the boy turned to him with an apologetic smile on his face.

"Sorry that I asked." the boy looked it too. Harry smiled at him, "It's okay my names Harry."

He stuck his hand out because his grandma always said that was how you were polite. The other boy gave him a grin, "Draco Malfoy."

Harry found Professor Quirrell waiting for him outside the shop and smiled at him. He took Harry through to get him his books and other items. Harry found Flourish and Blotts most interesting as the books seemed to be about ever subject. He got himself three books that weren't on the syllabus just because they looked so cool. He even got a book on grooming habits because his hair always caused him issues. After they walked out Harry looked down at his list.

"Almost done sir. Just the wand and… maybe an owl?" Harry turned and looked up at Quirrell who smiled and nodded.

They walked down the alley till they stopped at the Wandmakers shop. Quirrell told him that it had been in business long before he had been alive and probably would be there long after. As they walked in to what seemed like an empty store Harry was filled with nerves. He called out to see if anyone was there and was rewarded with a voice.

"I was wondering if I would be seeing you Mr. Potter."

Harry almost jumped out of his skin. He turned to see an incredible old man with strange almost hawk like eyes. He smiled at Harry. Who was still a little speechless as the man had come out of no where.

"Young Harry wished to purchase a wand." Quirrell said. Ollivander turned to him suddenly and eyed the Professor for a minute. Then he replied, "They usually do…. Which is your wand arm Harry?"

Harry looked at Quirrell who sighed, "Do you write with your left or right hand?"

"Right." Harry said. As Ollivander began to measure his arm and mutter to himself. Finally Ollivander gave him a wand that was made of birch and had a core of a unicorn hair. But as soon as he took hold of the wand a portrait behind Mr. Ollivander fractured in two. Ollivander stood there and began to mutter. Harry held twenty more at least before Ollivander stepped back appearing stumped.

"Mr. Ollivander?" Harry asked, "Is my magic not right?"

"No dear boy it just appears that your magic is quite finnicky… I wonder." He said. He looked down the row of wand to a box that was covered in dust. He opened the it and Harry felt something. The wand looked old and the wood appeared to be black.

Ollivander held out the wand and as soon as Harry touched it he felt as if his arm was on fire, but somehow not in a painful way.

"Curious," Ollivander muttered, "Very curious."

"Sorry but what's curious?" Harry asked. He was frowning. Ollivander seemed to be in deep thought

"I remember every wand I've ever made Mr. Potter and this wand was not made here." Ollivander said looking off into the distance. At this time Quirrell, who had been bored up to this point was also curious.

"Who made that wand?" He said eyeing the wand in Harry's hand. Ollivander's eyes seemed to sparkle, "In England most everyone gets a wand from Ollivanders but on the continent the eastern wizards go to a man called Gregorovitch."

He paused for dramatic effect. Harry was engulfed in the story mouth hanging open. Even Quirrell and his master were beginning to become interested.

"Gregorovitch made many different wands but this… this was something else entirely. He created this wand as a tool for a powerful necromancer. It has the hair of a Thestral and it's wood came from a scorched oak." He said looked deeply at Harry.

"This wand is meant for a dark wizard. Be very careful young man."

Harry quietly paid for the wand and walked out onto the street with his Professor. He went along as they bought him a snow white owl who he named Hedwig. As they were brought dinner in a very quiet Leaky Cauldron Harry was still thinking.

"Mr. Potter." Harry's head shot up in embarrassment. Quirrell was giving him a look of slight amusement, "If you are still worried about your wand let me give you this lesson. Magic is not light and dark as some will tell you. Magic is might. Do not let people tell you that you shouldn't learn something because it is bad. All that you can learn will help you."

Harry nodded with a weak smile. Harry knew that Professor Quirrell was a really smart wizard and he would know about this kind of thing. He happily ate the last of his dinner and walked back towards the Orphanage. While he still had a month to go he wasn't worried. He would read some of his books and try and get ahead of all the kids with wizarding parents.

Quirrell gave him his ticket for the train and some muggle pounds so that he could get a taxi there as it was all the way across town. He bid Harry good night and told him to think about what he had said.

 **Okay that was the second chapter. I just got back from the UK so I've got the first thirty thousand words written. Ill try and post rapidly for a little while then it will even out. Please send a review and follow.**


	3. The Castle

Harry Potter took a deep breath and looked at the barrier that stood between him and the rest of his life. Professor Quirrell had told him that he just had to walk straight at the wall without blinking. He exhaled. This was stupid. He knew he could do it.

 _You can do it come on,_ he told himself.

He started to walk towards the wall, closing his eyes and when he opened them… platform 9 ¾!

He looked up at the train in awe, It was sleek and crimson red. Steam billowed from the top. He felt like he wanted to race up to the train engine and hug it. He was finally here!

He looked around and felt disappointment. All around him families were saying goodbye. He felt a bit hollow. He wished that someone would be here for him.

The conductor blew the whistle and he had no time to continue with his familial quandary. as he boarded the train. He was craning his head to get a good look at the compartments. He was so engaged in this action that he didn't notice a blond girl right in front of him. When he accidentally bumped into her she turned.

"Sorry about that," he said timidly. The girl smiled. "It's alright. The nargles that are buzzing around your head are confusing you."

"Well I am quite confused." Harry said, scratching his head.

Before the she could reply, a head popped out of the compartment window nearest to them. "Hello if you two need seats there are two in here."

"Come on!" Harry said and grabbed the blonde girl's hand. A moment later, after the had gotten in they sat across from a girl with bushy brown hair and a boy with red hair and freckles.

The girl, who introduced herself as Hermione, began to speak at length about how she was a muggleborn and how she had already read all of her books and was really looking forward to everything. She continued to list things that she wanted to figure out. The blonde girl, who was named Luna was politely nodding and agreeing at the proper moments but Harry was a little bit annoyed by it. He hadn't said anything other than his name. The other boy, Ron, was gazing off into the distance.

Finally someone came in and interrupted Hermione. A pudgy boy with chubby cheeks and chocolate brown eyes looked at them frantically.

"Have you seen a toad by any chance?" He asked, looking around. Hermione let out a squeak, "Holy Cricket! Your Neville Longbottom!"

The boy smiled softly and then let it drop as he kept looking. Ron jumped up with Hermione and they began looking. Harry rolled his eyes as they raced out of the cabin together. Hermione stuck her head back into the cabin.

"Aren't you two coming?" She said with a frown as if they should have dropped everything to look for a toad. Harry smiled apologetically, "I was just gonna chat with Luna for a bit… sorry."

Hermione let out a huff and left. After that Luna and Harry sat in a comfortable silence. She smiled over at him and he smiled back.

"I- ah live at a muggle orphanage." Harry said, scratching the back of his head. He wanted to be friends with this Luna girl but he didn't know how. Harry had never really had a friend. Sharing a piece of personal information like that seemed like a good place to start.

"I live with my Papa. He owns a newspaper named the Quibbler. He knows about all of these amazing creature that few people can see!" Luna happily chatted. He began to talk about things he enjoyed and his muggle school which Luna found fascinating. He also talked about the fact that his parents were gone. Luna told him about her mother and how she had died when she was eight. Harry saw that their was still pain her eyes.

At that moment a head popped in. She explained she was the trolley Lady and she brought around candy and snacks. When she asked what they would like Harry shyly asked Luna to pick something. They ended up having a couple chocolate frogs and some sandwiches. She explained the collection of chocolate frogs and the cards that they held.

He was feeling unbelievably happy. He turned to Luna and tried to act very serious. He took a deep breath and looked at her with a leveled look. "Luna?"

"Yes?" she said smiling. He tried to not smile but it was infectious.

Do you want to be my friend? I know we've only just met but I feel like I know you so well-" He was cut off by Luna's arms rapping around his body. A hug. He didn't hug very often. He felt content. When she realised him she gave him a huge smile, showing all of her teeth.

"Yes Harry I will be your friend." She informed him. He grinned and crossed his arms. He didn't know if this day could get any better.

Luna and him chatted about Hogwarts until someone again barged in. To his surprise, it was Draco, the boy he had met when he was getting his robes. He was followed by two burly boys who looked like body guards.

"Oh," He said looking at them, "Hullo Harry! Good to see you!"

"Hello, this is my friend Luna." He said, pleased to be able to introduce her as his friend. Draco gave Luna a dazzling smile.

"Harry have you seen that Longbottom kid? We were wondering who he's hanging out with." Draco asked. Harry grimaced, "Yeah we saw him, this really annoying muggleborn girl is with him. She literally could stop talking!"

Draco frowned at the statement. He said goodbye and left with his big friends. Harry looked at Luna who just shrugged. They saw that it was getting darker so they changed into their robes. As the train stopped He and Luna exited. Most everyone else seemed to know where to go. A enormous man holding a lantern walked towards them.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

Harry and Luna shared a look and turned to follow him. He walked along a stone path with the rest of the first years. He saw that Ron and that Neville kid were at the front of the line. He didn't notice that a dark skinned boy had been talking to him and he turned to his face which showed annoyance.

"I've been asking you what house you think you'll get into… are you a muggleborn or something?" the boy repeated, sounding slightly exasperated. Harry blushed, "Oh-oh ugh no my parents were wizards."

Harry was getting the feeling that being a muggleborn wasn't something that great in the wizarding world. Both this boy and Draco had talked about it in a negative light. He really didn't know what to make of it. While he didn't like bullying Draco had been really nice to him.

"Well I'll be in Slytherin I suppose. My mother's family is English but my father was Italian." The boy went on then he turned his head to look at them, "By the way my name is Blaise Zabini."

Finally they found themselves near a dock with small four person boats. Harry turned to Luna, "I hope we don't have to row all the way there."

"Blaise do you want to be in our boat?" she asked out of politeness. He seemed to be weighing the options. He looked at a lopsided boat that had his friend Draco and Theodore Nott on one side and Goyle on the other. He shrugged, which Harry took as a sign that he would. Finally they found a boat with a chubby girl. She seemed to sit as far from Harry as she could.

He helped both Luna and Blaise into the boat and both gave him grateful smiles. None of them wanted to fall into the lake which for Harry, a person who had never learned to swim was not an experience that he wanted at all.

"Whoa," said Blaise, as the boat shot forward. Harry let out a little whoop as they began to cross the lake. As they turned they could see the castle looming in the distance. The sun had gone down so the Castle was light up from within.

Once they had left the boats they were led into the castle and up a steep flight of stairs. They were led to a woman holding a rolled up piece of parchment. She wore emerald green robes and had a hard expression on her face. Harry was a little bit afraid of her.

She instructed them to stay where they were and she would make sure that they great hall was ready. As she finished Draco walked in front of the crowd of first years.

"So," He started placing his hands on his hips. "It's true what they were saying on the train, Neville Longbottom has come to Hogwarts,"

The crowd broke out in whispers. Harry looked at Luna and Blaise who both looked like they had no need of this display. Blaise even motioned for Harry to come closer. He whispered a joke about Draco looking like a Peacock to which both Luna and Harry broke down in giggles.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle and I'm Malfoy…. Draco Malfoy." He said proudly, then he eyed the red head, "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, I can help you there."

Draco stuck out his hand as if he had all the answers in the world but Neville looked at the hand with a frown on his face then looked back at Ron, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thank you very much."

Whispers continued as Blaise and Harry exchanged a look of bemusement. Harry thought they were so dramatic. Why couldn't Draco have just asked Neville to be his friend nicely. That's how he became friends with Luna and that was only five hours ago!

When McGonagall came back in she told them to follow her and they shuffled into the Great Hall, lining up through the gap between the tables. Harry could hear Hermione exclaiming something about the chandliers and he cringed.

"I hope you're in the same house as me," He whispered to Luna. It would be nice to have one of the only people he knew in his House from the start. He worried what would happen to their newly formed friendship if it didn't happen

"Don't worry Harry, a wished on I asked a blithering Humdinger on the way up and he seemed to think it was going to work out." She said lightly. Harry nodded, "Let's hope so…"

The woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall put a stool a the front of the room and but a shabby old hat on it. Harry jumped when it hoisted itself up and started singing.

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Harry was right alongside everyone else when they began to clap. He had never seen anything like this. It was unbelievable.

"Hannah Abbot!" McGonagall called.

The chubby girl from the boat walked up and sat on the stool, visibly shaking. The Hat was placed on her head, and there was a moment of silence before it opened its wide brimmed mouth.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff table on as Abbot sat down.

''RAVENCLAW!'

More kids passed but when they got to the L's it got interesting. When she called Longbottom the entire room fell into whispers. He sat down and seemed to be upset. It went on for at least ten minutes. Finally the hat called out Gryffindor. They all clapped but the boy seemed visible shaken, next up was Luna who had the hat on her head for less then a minute before he call out Ravenclaw. He saw Draco go into Slytherin with no surprise but next it was his turn.

"Harry Potter." she called out. She looked at him with no discernible emotion on her face. He carefully climbed the steps and sat down upon the stool. She placed the hat on him and felt his mind being pocked and prodded.

 _Stop that!_ He thought.

 _I'm sorry boy but this is my job I must figure out who you are to become._ A voice came into his head which shocked Harry. _A quite unusual upbringing… it reminds me of another wizard but you two are so different, yet also very similar. Unlike your parents I don't believe that you're a Gryffindor… Hufflepuff's crave loyalty and friendship and while you want these things, they don't matter as much as your other goals._

Harry scrunched his forehead together. _What are my goals?_

The hat seemed to grin. _Knowledge… you want to know it all. Nothing will satisfy your thirst for information. That's why it better be…_

 _"RAVENCLAW!"_

Harry mouth split into a grin. He would spend the next seven years with Luna! He couldn't believe it. As he descended the steps and ran towards the Ravenclaw table he felt warmth surging through him. The day had gotten so much better. Luna stood up and hugged him and the rest of the table gave a polite round of applause. An older girl shook his hand.

"My name is Penelope Clearwater and I'm a prefect of Ravenclaw house. If you need any help getting around or need some homework help then come to me." She gave him a thin smile and he nodded and sat down. He watched the rest of the sorting with mild interest. Finally when it came for Blaise he was true to his word. Being sorted into Slytherin house almost instantly.

Finally an old man in a long robe stood. He had the longest beard Harry had ever seen. He smiled at all of the children and then with a wave of his arm he said, "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you let the feast… begin!"

And with that food appeared at all of the tables. Harry was very hungry and grabbed his plate to get some of the food. He settled on pork chops and green beans and ate quite quickly. While he was feed at the orphanage he was never given large portions like this.

When he finished his food he looked back up to see the man from Diagon Alley! He was sitting beside Professor Quirrell who gave him a small smile. He was staring at Harry quite firmly. It wasn't a glare but it wasn't a friendly smile either. Harry had no idea what to do so he awkwardly waved. The man turned his head seconds later.

"Penelope?" He asked the girl sitting across from him, "Who is the man in black at the head table?"

"Ahh that's Professor Snape, he can be mean but if your good at potions he won't bother you." She said before turning back to another fifth year. Harry made a mental note to memorize the first chapter of the potions textbook.

After they finished Dumbledore got up to speak again. This time Harry stopped listening. He was thinking about that boy Neville Longbottom. In the book he had read about it, it said he defeated the Dark Lord when he was only a year old. Harry was baffled. The book had also said that the Dark Lord had a huge amount of magical knowledge and was much for skill only by Dumbledore. He gazed at the boy who was sitting at the Gryffindor table with confusion. What power did the boy who was his own age acquire. Finally they were being brought to their common rooms Penelope was leading the way, corralling the first years with her.

As they made there way toward the west side of the castle He looked up at Paintings that were moving. He loved magic. Finally they came to a door at the bottom of Ravenclaw tower. A bronze knocker in the shape of an Eagle was on the door.

 _"What is easy to get into but difficult to get out of?"_ The eagle asked, the first years all thought about it.

"Trouble." Luna said. The door opened and Harry smiled at Luna. Penelope smirked at the first years, "Unlike other houses we do not have a set password. The eagle will give you a riddle and you have to figure it out, otherwise you wont be able to get in."

As they entered the common room Harry was surprised to see a wide, circular room with arched windows hung with blue and bronze silks and a midnight blue carpet covered in stars, which is reflected onto the domed ceiling. It was enchanting. The room had been furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases; and by the door leading up to the dormitories stood a tall statue of Harry could only guess, Rowena Ravenclaw made of white marble. It made Harry feel like he was in a Library!

Penelope moved toward the stairs, "Come over here. Welcome to the Common Room. Boys' dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up. We have many old books so be very careful with them but help yourselves. If you need anything come to me or any other prefects. Other than that keep you grades up. Over the years few have outscored Ravenclaw on Outstanding OWLS and NEWTs."

Penelope gave them another quick smile before she left to join her own friends. Harry looked over at Luna and gave her one last hug before heading up to the boys dormitory. He learned the names of his roommates. Terry and Michael were okay and Anthony seemed to be fun as well. He didn't know if they would be good friends but he really did hope.

 **Okay so that was chapter three! If your wondering why Harry isn't a dark lord already well it's because he's eleven. He's still a little shy and awkward because that's what kids are like at that age. Harry will be introduced into Darker stuff as time goes on but he will have some childhood at Hogwarts.**

 **Please give me a review so that I can know your feelings on the subject.**


	4. The Troll

**Hope that everyone is enjoying the story. I wanna give a shout out to StillKickingIt who did beta this chapter and is a personal friend of mine. Also would like to thank all who follow and fav. Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

Hogwarts was maybe the coolest place ever. Harry thought so at least He had almost finished his first full week of classes and he already knew that being a wizard was the best thing ever. He really enjoyed both charms and transfiguration as they taught lots of actual magic. He also loved the fact that Professor McGonagall was a stickler for the rules. He still could remember how she had reacted when Neville and Ron had come in late. Neville and Ron were running through the stone halls to their class as they rushed in. Harry had been sitting beside Luna. He exchanged a look with her. While Harry didn't dislike Neville, the boy always seemed to be doing things as if he owned the place.

"Whew, amazing, can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?" Ron said. He let out a breath. Both of them were out of breath. Much to Ron's mortification and everyone else's astonishment the cat jumped off the desk and transformed into Professor McGonagall. Harry's mouth hung open.

"That was bloody brilliant." Ron said, flushed. McGonagall gave a tight lipped smile, "Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Maybe if I were to transfigure Mr. Longbottom and yourself into a pocket watch, maybe one of you would be on time."

"We got lost." Neville said blushing. McGonagall gave him an exasperated look, "Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats. Now we are going to begin with changing a…"

Luna turned to him, "I think this is going to be an interesting class."

Harry grinned, "I think I wanna be a cat."

Potions the next morning wasn't as bad as Harry had been expecting. Snape had told the Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's what the potion was and written the ingredients on the board. Harry and Luna had worked in silence until the cauldron began to boil, and then added the ingredients necessary for the pepper up potion. Harry was glad Luna had been his partner because Susan Bones had put the ingredients in the wrong order and Snape had yelled at her. Snape then went about looking over all the other potions. He stopped at Harry and Luna's potion. He spent at least five minutes looking it over and even sampled it. He looked at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"Mr. Potter, this is a very well brewed potion. Have you ever had any experience with brewing before?" He asked. Harry felt his cheeks warm and he looked at Luna with wide eyes, "No, sir. O-or… Sometimes at the orphanage I help the cook."

"Very well. Ten points to Ravenclaw for Mr. Potter and Ms. Love good's brew."

Harry and Luna got to the Great Hall just in time for lunch. They sat beside Anthony and Terry.

"Everyone said Snape was really mean but he seemed not too bad to me," Anthony remarked.

"That's because you weren't with the Red Menace house," Penelope Clearwater replied.

"Last year we were paired up with them and the Weasley twins got into trouble every single day." Grumbled a third year.

Rodger Davies rolled his eyes. "It's not too bad having classes with Gryffindor, my year is fine."

"Really?" Cho Chang demanded.

"Is defence gonna be that bad all year?" Harry tried to stop the two from bickering.

"Probably, Quirrell went to Albania a year ago and when he came back he was seriously messed up."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, mate. My dad told me that it had something to do with Vampires. That's why the room always smells like Garlic." Rodger replied before turning back to argue with Cho. Harry began to think about that. Professor Quirrell had seemed totally normal when he had taken Harry out to get his school supplies.

"Harry is there something wrong? Your head is being swarmed by Nargles." Luna asked.

"Just thinking about something." Harry tried his best to stop obsessing over the point. The next week Harry and Luna were going down to explore the library on a Saturday when Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini saw them in passing

"Hey Harry, Luna. Did you guys want to join us? We're heading outside." Draco looked at Harry expectantly.

"Sure. Is that okay Luna?" Harry turned to her. Luna smiled and nodded.

"I need to get outside and see if there are any Cornsnarkes," Luna whispered to Blaise. "I believe one has already stolen my lucky sock."

Blaise had a bemused look on his face. As they walked out onto the grounds Luna continued to fill Draco and Blaise in on facts about Cornsnarkes and where to look for them. Harry would occasionally add to what Luna was saying. Draco would always glare at him sharply as it only encouraged Luna to say more.

"Er, why is Ron Weasley looking at you like he hates you?" Harry muttered to them. Weasley and Longbottom were walking over to the Quidditch pitch. Ron seemed to be silently cursing Draco from the looks he was shooting at him.

Draco laughed. "Ignore him, he's an idiot. And so is that Neville Longbottom. I-" he broke off when he looked at Blaise who was laughing behind his hand. "Oh, what are you on about."

Blaise snorted as he sat on the grass at the edge of the black lake. "For the last two years all you talked about when we hung out was the fact that you though Neville Longbottom was amazing. To be honest I did think that you had a little crush on him."

Luna and Harry both giggled at that. "That is not true!" Draco protested. Draco was usually very pale, but at the accusation he seemed to be steadily growing into a light pink.

Blaise began continuing. "He used to daydream about what he would first say to him and talk about how brave he must have been. It was very sad you see, when Longbottom turned out to be a prat."

"Awe I'm sorry Draco." Harry said to him, giggling. Draco seemed to be quite distressed by this.

"Yes I'm sure he will burn all of his favourite Neville Longbottom adventure books when you get home," Blaise smirked as the others laughed Draco just continued to glare at his best friend.

"What about your posters of Longbottom?"

"Who – who do you think will win the first quidditch game?" Draco stammered.

"Nice change of subject Draco. Did you guys here that Longbottom is going to be the seeker?" Blaise asked looking at Harry and Luna.

"No really?" said Harry with a frown. "I thought that first years weren't aloud to try out because it's a rough sport and you can get hurt really easily."

"Well apparently he thinks he's better than the rest of us because he was given the spot on the team right away," said Blaise.

"Didn't even have to try out. The second Wood heard that the boy who lived was alright on a broom he said okay," added Draco with a frown.

"Well you did challenge him over that stupid rememberall of his," said Blaise.

Harry looked up, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"He said he would throw it up on the roof!" Blaise crowed.

Draco shrugged finally. "Whatever."

Harry quickly settled into his new routine at Hogwarts. Apart from classes and studying, he spent most of his time exploring with Luna. He thought she was probably the smartest person he had ever met. While she did spend a large portion of her time talking about creatures who perhaps don't exist she was gifted at both charms and potions. Unlike Hermione she didn't jump at the chance to recite what was in the textbook.

Just as Harry assumed he did hate some classes. History of magic was quite boring and getting up in the middle of the night for Astronomy was totally not something he really enjoyed. He did however have fun staring up at the stars in wonder. He had never really been able to do that. The orphanage had a curfew and his room didn't have a window.

After all his nervousness over flying lessons, Harry was relived that he had done fine. He had been able to call the broom up and even got to fly around for a bit. He and Terry had a bit of a race, leading to him winning. It had all been fun and games and Boot had challenged him to a rematch the next Saturday. He had also gotten to know Hannah Abbot in herbology. She had been paired with him and they had chatted. All and all, Harry thought that he was adjusting quite well.

One evening after dinner he decided to walk around and look at the pictures. Luna had gone to help Draco with a charm that was giving him trouble. They had asked harry if he wanted to come along and Harry had declined. While he liked his friends and he liked studying, he also liked to be alone. At the Orphanage he had never really had any friends. He sometimes missed the long silences that he had. He liked to imagine a different life while he lived at the orphanage. A life with a family of his own. While Luna was amazing. She was still just a friend. He liked to take time to imagined coming home to tell his parents about Hogwarts. And besides, He already had mastered the levitation spell.

As he was walking down the steps he began to smell the heavy scent of garlic. As he was about to turn into a corridor he was met immediately by Professor Quirrell.

"Mr. Potter." He said. Harry was taken aback. All throughout the time he had been at Hogwarts he had spoken with a stutter. While he did speak somewhat normally during the time he was at Diagon Alley Harry assumed it was a run off.

"Oh! Hello sir… I was just out for a walk exploring," Harry said.

"I see. Do you decided to take walks in a corridor you know very well to be off limits very often Mr. Potter?"

"Er, no, sir. Didn't know that. I was just looking at the portraits and thinking and I must have gotten lost." Harry looked nervously at his Professor, whose gaze did not falter. He seemed to be examining ever aspect of Harry

"You'd best be off then. You wouldn't want someone to see you here and think you're… up to something," Quirrell finally said.

"Yes sir- I ah will head back to my common room," Harry said, trying to walk as fast as he could without appearing rude. As soon as he turned the corner on the stairs he began to sprint. Something about the way Quirrell looked at him scared Harry. Never once did it strike Harry that it was a little off to see Professor Quirrell in the hallway that was off limits.

 **a-||-a**

On the day of Halloween, or as Luna insisted that he call it Samhain, Harry Potter was feeling fantastic. Draco and Blaise had invited both he and Luna along with Anthony to sit at he Slytherin table for breakfast.

"You can't be serious," said Draco incredulously, looking at Harry in shock.

"What? Don't tell me that all of you know what Samhain is?" Harry said looking around for support. All of the Slytherin first year's rolled their eyes. Anthony shook his head, "Sorry mate, even I know and I'm Jewish."

"It's one of the most important days of the year for the wizarding world, Magic is said to be in the air!" Draco said. Luna smiled at Harry, "I have a book about the cycles and the celabrations that I got from the Library.:

"Thanks Luna, these guys never explain anything properly." Harry smiled. Draco rolled his eyes while Blaise merely grinned. Theodore Nott began to ask them about their papers for History of magic and lunch flew by. For their last class of the day they had charms.

"Heard that Weasel made that mud blood girl cry," Draco smirked briefly at Harry, who stilled. He still had issues with the hatred towards muggleborns. Dean Thomas was very nice to Harry in Transfiguration.

With a flick of his wand, Professor Flitwick began to instruct them on the theory behind the levitation spell. He and Luna had been trying to master spells before class so they had more time for essays, which they had an astounding about of. While he didn't think he was as far ahead as Granger. He hoped that he was at least second or third in his classes.

When they finally started getting into the practical Harry enjoyed it. Luna began to float her quill up. She received ten points. When both Harry and Draco floated their quills as well Harry thought Flitwick may do a back flip.

" _Wingardium leviosa_ ," he said, pointing his wand at Blaise book. Blaise of course wasn't looking. Harry finally had it within an inch of the top of his head. When he let go of the book it dropped on Blaise who let out a high pitched scream. Both the Slytherin's and the Ravenclaw's began to laugh at this. Flitwick tried to look unimpressed. "Stay after class, Mr. Potter, you as well Ms. Lovegood."

When the rest of the class left, Harry and Luna moved up to the front of the classroom. The Professor waited till the last student had left, then looked at Harry. "Did you enjoy dropping that book on your classmates head?" Flitwick asked, standing on top of a stack of books, arms crossed.

Harry looked down at him. "Er..."

"Did you expect me to be mad at a display of training that could only come from extensive studying of which my house is so famous for?"

"But I didn't want to hurt Blaise! I mean, I made sure it was very close to his head and it wasn't heavy, Professor Blaise is my friend..." Harry trailed off as he realised Flitwick wasn't mad. Taking a breath, tried to keep from blushing. "Professor are you not mad?"

Flitwick raised an eyebrow. "Mad at Studying? Heavens no! I kept you after class because I wanted to tell you that I have seen the work you two have been doing and I am very pleased!"

"Thank you, Professor!" Harry looked over to Luna with a wide grin on his face

Flitwick seemed to almost be dancing. "Indeed. I believe that you two are very promising young children and am quite happy to be your head of house."

As soon as they left Draco and Blaise joined them. They had been waiting for their friends to come out.

"And he's really not punishing you?" Draco whispered incredulously.

"Nope! He said he was happy that he was our head of House," Harry whispered back. Blaise snorted, "Can't imagine Snape saying he's ever been happy about anything!"

"Oh, I am so looking forward to the feast we get tonight," Draco said blissfully. Luna nodded with a wistful expression, "I do hope that they have pudding."

"I'm just looking forward to a night without the Gryffindor table hollering. Honestly you'd think the Weasley twins would be a little quieter," said Harry resentfully.

When they got to the Great Hall for the feast, Harry made his way toward the Ravenclaw table, intending to sit with Padma and Anthony. As they sat down and the feast began Harry began to relax. He chatted with Rodger about the Ravenclaw quidditch team and with Terry about what was happening with his potions essay.

Rodger shrugged. "We need more people cheering. I know that all of us think we're too good for hollering don't understand that every other team's house cheers."

Harry smiled. "I'll make sure I cheer at all of our games."

As the feast continued, Harry talked to Luna about Samhain He truly had no idea of the cultural significance it played with the wizarding community. Abruptly, Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall. He reached about halfway to the front stopping right near Harry.

"TROLL– in the dungeons! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! – thought you ought to know," he gasped before fainting as the students erupted in panic. Harry looked around and could help but feel the same.

Dumbledore's voice rang out over the hall. "Staff come with me and Prefects lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

"Okay everyone please let's go quickly and quietly!" Penelope shrieked. She was shaking which didn't give Harry much confidence. If a fifth year was afraid of a troll, then he probably should be too.

"First years, follow me please!" Penelope called when people weren't moving fast enough. Rodger stood next to her. "Quickly, now!"

The prefects started to lead them out of the hall. Harry was grabbed by his arm and gasped. "Draco – what's wrong?!"

Draco looked at him. "The Slytherin dormitories are in are in the dungeon! Blaise is down there and he doesn't know!"

The three of them followed the rest of the first years Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, then ducked down a stairway to the dungeons. Draco quickly ran and got Blaise while Luna and Harry waited with their wands drawn. Blaise and Draco came running out of the Slytherin common room and the four began to run. Luna nudged Harry and looked over at the bathroom.

"Um Harry, w-what's that sound – What is that?"

A scraping sound was coming from inside the girls bathroom. When a scream was heard they ran inside. When they entered, they saw a huge mountain troll lumbering towards them, dragging a crude wooden club. Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley were throwing pieces of broken sink at them.

"We should go!" shouted Draco. Harry shook his head as he eyed the crouching form of Hermione Granger. While Harry didn't like her he felt like he had to do something. He turned to his friends. "Luna, Draco? Can you guys use levitation charms on that stuff over there?"

Harry pointed at the smashed sinks and stalls. They nodded and began. He looked over at Blaise, "You need to get Granger!"

"What about you!" Blaise yelled over the Troll's smashing. Harry shrugged and pulled out his wand. "Somebody's got to distract it."

They took off the in different direction. Draco and Luna had started to throw pieces of wood and debris at the troll which had started to get annoyed. When it turned to face them Blaise sprinted to Hermione and dragged her towards the door. Ron and Neville seemed to be confused by what they were doing.

Harry had moved to a position behind the troll and held out his wand, pointing it at the trolls tunic, " _Lacarnum Inflamarae,"_

Flames shot from the end of Harry's wand and soon engulfed the beast's midsection, causing screams from the creature who dropped his club. Luna then pointed her wand at the fallen weapon shouting, " _Wingardium leviosa_!"

The club rose quickly before dropping on the creature's head. Who gave one final scream as its body rushed to the ground with a decisive crunch. Suddenly, Snape and McGonagall came racing into the room, with Quirrell trailing behind them. Harry and Blaise looked at each other. This would not be going well.

McGonagall and Snape shared a look of shock at the sight of the fallen beast McGonagall turned her attention to the children. "What exactly were you children doing here when you were asked to go to your common rooms?"

Harry and Draco looked at each other, but it was Hermione who answered. "It's my fault, Professor McGonagall. "

McGonagall seemed taken aback by this as did Harry, Luna, Draco and Blaise, "Ms. Granger?"

"I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Neville and Ron hadn't come and found me...I'd probably be dead." Hermione said blushing as she looked at her two fellow Gryffindor's with a blush. Their head of house hid a smile. Snape did not appear to share that opinion. "Is that so Mr. Potter?"

Harry shrugged, his mouth now had fallen into a frown. He and his friends had done everything they could to save her life and she didn't even give them credit. "More or less sir."

McGonagall seemed to be focused on the students from her house. "Be that as it may...it was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would have expected more rational behaviour on your part, Ms. Granger. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment. As for you two gentlemen I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck."

McGonagall smiled at them and beckoned her students away. As they left Harry felt something stewing in his gut, anger. Snape was looking at him with a frown.

"Perhaps you ought to go...M-might wake up...heh." Quirrell said. Snape nodded and motioned for the other children to follow him. Harry made a move to but Quirrell grabbed his shoulder. "I-I do have a question P-Potter. Them I'll take you back to your D-dorm."

Harry watched the other's leave and felt the anger be replaced by fear. Luna had given him a fleeting look of pity before he was left alone in the room with Quirrell. He looked up at Professor Quirrell as his expression morphed from the scared man he saw during class to something else entirely.

"Tell me what really happened boy?" He said with a sneer. Harry gulped, "Well sir, I used the flame summoning spell to distract him and Luna knocked him out with his club."

"The flames that you used has maimed this creature, how does that make you feel?" he asked. Harry shrugged, "He was going to kill us and anyway it isn't a person so that's not that bad."

Quirrell mouth split into a smile, "So if you were to actually kill him it wouldn't matter? Right? Remember that we hunt all the time.. it is human nature to kill."

Harry thought that he was probably right. He was a Professor after all. "Yes sir I think so."

"So do it." Quirrell commanded, "Kill it."

Harry's eyes widened. Why was his Professor telling him to do this. He had never heard of this in Defence Against the Dark Arts. He looked up at his Professor, "What do you mean sir? How?"

"Flitwick has taught you the diffindo charm. Use it to slash the creatures throat." He began to march Harry over to the Troll who was still asleep. They stopped at his head. Quirrell motioned to it's neck. Harry faltered. He had never killed anything in his life. He didn't even like killing bugs.

" _Do it."_ Quirrell whispered to him in an odd voice. " _Kill the monster."_

Harry took a deep breath and gathered his will. He pointed his wand at the Troll. He made a sweeping motion across it's neck as he spoke, " _Diffindo!"_

Harry watched in horror as blood erupted from the Troll neck. The dark substance sprayed Harry shoes. He watched in shock as the Troll's eyes opened and it tried to scream but realized it was drowning in it's own blood. Harry closed his eyes as he felt revulsion at the sight.

Again, Quirrell spoke in that odd voice. It made his skin crawl as it drawled.

" _Very good Harry,"_

 **Wow okay I did not know that I was going to get that dark that fast. Harry and Luna are going to be doing some pretty risky things as Quirrell pushes them along ever so gently. Hope that you enjoyed that chapter. I really do like to write so please leave a review. It lets me know what you enjoy about the story and they warm my heart.**


	5. The Mirror

After that night, Harry tried to forgot what had happened with Quirrell. The Quidditch season was beginning, and the first match was Slytherin versus Gryffindor. As a Ravenclaw it sounded odd but he was excited. While Neville Longbottom wasn't his favourite person, he still was excited to see a first year playing.

On the morning of the match, Harry was sitting at breakfast as his friends chatted excitedly about the game.

"I hear that Flint had his team up half the night running plays." Rodger said while Harry was loading a large amount of bacon onto his plate.

"I wonder if Neville is as good as everyone says," Harry replied, picking up a piece of bacon and eating it. Crunchy just as he liked it.

"Do you think the air squids will interfere with the match? I do hope they're in a good mood today," said Luna said with a thoughtful look on her face. Harry was happy that the other Ravenclaw's mostly accepted that Luna was a bit odd. When she said something crazy they would just smile and disregard it. He always was looking around to see if anyone was being rude to her. He had already threatened to hex a boy in Gryffindor who called her Loonie Lovegood.

"I heard Wood thinks the match is in the bag… The Weasley twins have smuggled in some booze for the party afterwards," added Cho.

"That is not okay! I need to tell Percy about this behaviour," snapped Penelope. Cho rolled her eyes, "You didn't have a problem with the party we had last year did you?"

"Fine. I won't say anything. But if it gets out of hand I'll be able to say I told you so." Penelope said with a blush.

Rodger rolled his eyes and pulled Harry's plate towards him. "I've got to commandeer some of this bacon Potter."

Harry grabbed his plate back. "Get your own Davies."

"Whatever."

The table went quiet. Harry looked up to see Draco and Blaise standing there grinning. Behind them was a rather angry looking Marcus Flint.

"We just wanted to know if any of the Ravenclaw's were going to sit with us, Harry," Draco said. Blaise nodded behind her. "Other than you and Luna, of course."

"If your looking for people to cheer you on you came to the wrong table," laughed Rodger. "We don't even cheer when our team plays."

"Well, I don't think that the puffs will ever not be afraid of Marcus so we thought we'd try..."

"I get it. We sure will," Harry smiled.

"So you'll be sitting with us today, then?" Flint asked leering at Penelope Clearwater.

"S-sitting with you?" She blushed.

When they got out to the Quidditch pitch most of the Ravenclaw's did end up sitting with the Slytherin's. Harry watched with excitement as the player mounted their brooms and rocketed out onto the enormous pitch. The crowd began cheering. The commentator, a Gryffindor named Lee Jordon, began talking from the teacher's tower.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game; Slytherin versus Gryffindor!" With that the crowd went wild. Even Harry and Luna let out little shouts. Draco and Blaise were on their feet screaming already.

The players took positions in the air in a circle. Harry spotted Neville weaving in, highest amongst all of the other players. He didn't look like he was a particularly good flyer.

"The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game." Lee explained. Harry saw Madam Hooch. He had liked her. She always stopped trouble before it started. "Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you!"

Draco elbowed Harry's stomach, "I bet she isn't talking to the Gryffindor's about that."

"The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game." Lee explained. Harry looked at Draco with a frown, "Wait so if someone caught the snitch right now the game would be over?"

Draco was watching the snitch zoom around each Seeker's head then disappearing. Draco shrugged, "Yeah that's the game."

Harry shook his head. Quidditch was so weird. Hooch grabbed the Quaffle and tossed it into the air, chasers from both teams sped for it. Gryffindor took possession of the ball and a chaser, flew past three Slytherins towards their goal, and throwing the ball and scoring! There is was a loud bell that rang. Harry could not believe how fast the game went. He was happy that Lee was at least giving him the basics of what was happening.

"Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor"

Neville, who Harry spotted watching from the air, was clapping at his teammates goal. Harry rolled his eyes. If he were a seeker he would be searching from the second the game began. He laughed when a bludger almost hit him.

"Slytherin takes possession of the Quaffle. Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint." Lee said. Draco snickered, "They better get ready, Flint plays dirty to win."

Flint dodged in between Gryffindor's and hurled the ball for the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver appeared out of almost nowhere and whacked the ball away with his broom. He smirked at Flint, who glared right back. Johnson and another girl passed the Quaffle back and forth as they strategize to score. Harry was shocked at their skill level. He thought both teams were very good. Finally Johnson rounded off towards the hoop and chucked the ball through before the Slytherin keeper even had a chance

"Another 10 points to Gryffindor!" Lee said. The Gryffindors tower seemed to be going wild. Harry looked around and could tell that the Slytherin did not like this at all.

Flint grabbed a beaters bat from one of his team mates and whacked a bludger right at Oliver. It hit Oliver in the stomach and caused him to fall to the ground. The Slytherin's around him began to laugh.

"Is that legal?" Harry asked, frowning. Blaise shrugged. "Quidditch is pretty shady so no."

The Slytherin members headed off. One jumped over one of the Weasley twins and scored.. Slytherin cheered. The Slytherin's began to race off as Flint screamed, "Take that side!"

They started to box Johnson in, forcing her to the side of the field and sent her into the capes covering one of the towers. She tumbled to the ground with a thud. The crowd of Gryffindor's continued to boo. Slytherin scored once again. Unexpectedly, Harry saw Neville's broom start bucking and turning.

"What's going on with Neville's broomstick?" Harry asked. Draco and Blaise were laughing but Luna stared in wonder, "He's being cursed."

Harry looked through binoculars at Neville, who was screaming and holding on to the broom for safety. He wondered if he was being cursed.

"Someone's jinxing the broom!" Draco said. Harry continued to watch when finally the broom stopped bucking, and Neville climbed back on. Neville took off after the Slytherin seeker who was racing for the snitch. Harry looked up at the teacher's tower and saw Quirrell staring at him. He quickly looked away.

Neville rammed the Slytherin Seeker, who pushed back in kind. He returned it, smashing the Seeker again as the Snitch dived. The boys were following, but they were approached the ground quickly. The Slytherin Seeker pulled up, but Neville only pulled up at the last moment as he followed the Snitch, barley a foot above the ground. Neville stood up on his broom to the astonishment of all of the spectators, and stepped forward, trying to grab the snitch. He stepped too far, and toppled off the broom with a yelp, tumbling on the ground. Harry couldn't believe how exciting it was.

Neville began to stand up and lurched. The crowd gasped.

"Looks like he's gonna be sick!" Blaise said. Neville lurched and the Snitch popped out of his mouth. It landed in his hands. At that time Lee screamed, "He's got the Snitch! Neville Longbottom receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!"

"No!" Draco shouted. Harry rolled his eyes. Blaise patted his shoulder, "In a couple of weeks we play Hufflepuff and we'll smash them."

Harry watched in awe as Neville raised the Snitch into the air and the crowd, and his team, cheered.

As Harry walked back from the game he found himself imagining that he would be a great seeker and everyone in the school would like him like they liked Neville. He shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled.

As he was walking down for dinner he came across the Defence against the Dark Arts room open. Harry brows began to knit. Usually the door was closed and locked. He stepped into the room and was immediately hit by a rotten smell.

He was received with the sight of his professor with his turban removed. He had sat himself at the front of the classroom in a throne like chair. He smiled at Harry, "Mr. Potter. Please close the door and come in."

Harry frowned at the scene in front of him. This was getting to be a lot like Halloween which Harry had been trying to keep out of his mind. He slowly looked out to see if anyone else was in the hallway but it was empty. He closed the door and turned towards Quirrell who was still smiling. He beckoned him closer and Harry nervously sat down in front of him.

"Harry, I was wondering if you had thought about what happened on Halloween." He said as if he were talking about a school assignment. Harry shook his head, "No sir, I-I didn't know what really happened so I haven't told anyone."

"Not even that little blonde who hangs on your arm everywhere you go?" He asked with his brow raised, Harry again fervently shook his head. Harry thought that Quirrell's head looked funny he tried to look and see if he had something behind him but when he moved Quirrell's arms shot out and gripped his shoulders. Harry thought that he saw Quirrell's eye flash red but he assumed it was the light.

"I believe Mr. Potter, that one day you will be very important to me. You see I believe that I need to help you grow a bit more." Quirrell said with a sneer. Harry let out a whimper. Quirrell's grip on him hurt. While he had dealt with bullies his own age he had never had to deal with adults he trusted hurting him.  
And in a flash it was gone Quirrell had moved away and was wrapping his turban around his head.

"I will give you a book that I want you to read. Then you will come in and talk with me about it. Do not mention this to your head of house or any of your little friends."

Harry nodded. He knew that Professor Quirrell was probably a very dangerous man. Harry would do all that he could to stay on his good side. He also had been having dreams of killing the Troll. He dreamt of many disturbing things. He didn't talk to Luna about it because he didn't want to seem like a freak. When Quirrell returned with a book. He thanked him before taking the book and leaving.

As he rushed into the common room and up the stairs. He finally sat upon his bed, drawing his curtains closed so as to prevent any onlookers to see him. He looked at the title of the book, **_Secrets of the Dark_**.

He took a deep breath before he opened the book.

On the first day of Christmas holidays, Harry awoke to the sound of silence. The rest of his dormmates had all gone home for the break. With no classes for two weeks he sat back down and relaxed. He'd spent the last weeks of term reading his book. Trying to find out anything that would be useful. When he had been given the book, Harry had assumed that he would be reading about human sacrifice and things of that nature but the book just talked about how emotions fueled dark magic. Anger and hate made the spells more powerful. It also talked about how light should not be equated with good. As many charms and spells could be used in very negative ways. He thought back to the diffindo charm. It was a first year charm and it could easily kill.

Harry finally rolled out of bed, groaning when he realised none of his friends were there. He went to his head of house Flitwick to figure out how to get gifts for his friends. Flitwick was delighted and told him about the mailing service that would send gifts from shops in Diagon Alley's catalogue.

He searched through and finally found a book on mysterious creatures that were assumed extinct that he thought Luna would love. He thought of Draco when he saw a poster of Longbottom that had the caption _For Gryffindor!_ On the bottom and got it. He also got Draco a book on magical snakes. When he got to looking for Blaise he gave him a book on astronomy as he knew it was his favourite class. Other than his closest friends he got Rodger and Penelope different sweets and even Theodore a broom polisher because he was always talked about quidditch.

Harry's routine over the days leading up to Christmas was to have breakfast, a visit to the library, and to read the thick book Quirrell had given him for the rest of the day. Quirrell had asked to meet with him on the day after Christmas.

When he woke up on Christmas Day he tried to forget about Quirrell and focus on the gifts that had been sent by his friends. He grinned as he walked down to see that he was the only one in all of Ravenclaw up. He looked at the presents under the tree and was surprised to see that most were addressed to him. Draco had sent him a book on runic magic as Harry complained that he couldn't take that class. Blaise had sent him a large box of Chocolate Frogs and a few other sweets. He munched one as he opened Luna's gift, which was beautiful. Hand carved from some sort of tooth into an eagle. It had a beaded string so that he could wear it as a necklace. He immediately placed it around his neck.

The last present had no card on it. Harry opened it to find a crimson cloak that seemed to be silk. He put it down to look at the card.

 _Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.  
A Very Happy Christmas to you_.

Harry frowned at the card. The hand-writing wasn't familiar, but it had to be from someone who had known his dad. He put the card down and rapped the cloak around him. When he looked his body had disappeared. Not all of it, though, just the parts that were covered by the Cloak. Harry dropped it and jumped away from the cloak.

Harry was tempted to try the cloak out, but decided he'd wait until boxing day as it would be easier. Instead, he went to the owlery to send off thank you notes. He thought that it was something he read in a muggle book. That it was polite to send a card after somebody sends a gift. After spending most of his morning in the cold writing notes to his friends, he made his way to the Great Hall, cheering himself with the thought of lunch.

Christmas lunch turned out to be a quiet affair. But that did not mean there wasn't a lot of food. Though all his friends had gone home for the holidays, many had stayed from the older grades.

"Hullo there, can I sit with you?" Harry looked up to see a Hufflepuff had asked him. Harry looked at the boy. He was Hufflepuff's seeker. The boy had dirty blonde curls and bright blue eyes. He had always seemed nice.

"What? Why?" Harry asked. There were other Hufflepuff's there in his year Harry could see. The boy grimaced.

"Sorry, but the only people who stayed in Hufflepuff are either seventh years or girls who don't want to talk to me. By the way I'm Cedric," Cedric explained with a rueful smile.

"Well alright, do they do anything special for Christmas?" Harry asked.

"Other than the huge feast, not really," said Cedric, scratching his head. "Say if you want I can let you try out my nimbus 1900 later?"

"Yes that's awesome! I've only been on the school brooms," Harry said. Cedric grinned and grabbed some chicken. They chatted about Hufflepuff's win over Ravenclaw. Cedric told him about his elective courses and of course Harry forced him to tell him about ancient runes.

When they finished lunch Cedric took Harry back to his dorm which Harry thought was very odd. Cedric just smiled and explained that he trusted Harry and wasn't worried about him causing mischief. Harry had smiled at that.

Riding on his nimbus was incredible Harry soared above the frozen earth and felt free. Cedric remarked that he had never seem anyone that happy to have been on a broom.

"I'm going to be a seeker," he declared.

"A seeker? I think you should be a chaser." Cedric looked at him doubtfully.

"Trust me, seekers have the best job. You should know," Harry replied as he handed over his broom. He was waking back with Cedric when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. He looked up to see Quirrell looking down at him.

"Flying during the winter? That's dangerous Mr. Potter," he said.

Harry's grin faded. Something told him that Quirrell was angry. "Sorry sir."

Quirrell looked over at Cedric before smiling at Harry. "I'll see you in my personal room tomorrow."

Cedric frowned as Quirrell walked off. "You don't have detention during the _holidays,_ do you Harry?"

"Er, no. Quirrell is giving me a lesson that I missed." Harry felt bad about lying to Cedric, but the truth wasn't something he thought people would agree with.

He tried his best not to think about it during the feast. He sat at the Hufflepuff tabled with Cedric and laughed at the jokes he told. When the food appeared, it shocked him. Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce — and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table... Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Cedric and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice.

Harry ate as much as he could and when he was finally done he smiled at Cedric, "Thanks for hanging out with me today. I know it must have been annoying to be seen with a first year but I had an amazing time.

"Harry, I had a great time with you too!" Cedric ruffled his hair, "And don't worry about what others think. You're my friend now and that's what matters."

That night he snuck out with the cloak While he had thought of waiting he was to eager. He walked all through the castle, going up to the astronomy tower and even in to the dungeons. While he was heading back to Ravenclaw tower he stumbled open Mrs. Norris, who immediately turned her head and hissed. Harry stumbled into an empty room and closed the door. When he finally heard Filtch's footsteps quieting Harry turned to see the room he had hidden in. It didn't look like a classroom. No desks or chairs, nothing. Except for a large mirror that looked quite old. Harry felt a pull to it.

Stepping closer, Harry couldn't make out an engraving on the top of the frame. Puzzled, he stepped in to see his reflection.

He let out a screech and had to steady himself. In the mirror he saw himself as well as an older man and woman. The man looked shockingly similar to him and the woman had Harry's same eyes.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry whispered. They nodded. His mum was smiling, and put her hand on his reflection's shoulder. His reflection reached back to hold it, but when Harry put his hand on his shoulder he felt nothing but himself. He was trying not to cry but it failed as he felt the tears slipping down his face,

He knew that he stood there for at least two hours. When he looked over his father's shoulder he saw his Grandma. She smiled at him the same way she always did. He had the feeling he could just stand her forever.

"I'll be back tomorrow night. I love you," he said, reaching for his mother's hand one more time. He ran back to Ravenclaw tower. When he finally lay in bed he could not get to sleep all he saw was his mother's face.

Harry sat up the next morning after a sleepless night. His parents had been the only thing that he had thought about. He stumbled to breakfast with only this on his thoughts. He sat beside a fifth year Ravenclaw and they chatted quietly about Christmas. Harry could have done without the loud jeering from the Gryffindor table but said nothing.

When he arrived at the Professor Quirrell's room, he knocked before Quirrell opened the door. He smiled at Harry and invited him in. Harry followed quietly into the room.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, right on time. I just made tea. Please come and sit down and we can discuss the book you have been reading."

It wasn't as bad as Harry would've thought, Professor Quirrell asked him about his holiday and talked about his gifts. Then they spoke of Harry's work last term. Finally, Quirrell changed the subject.

"The book I gave," he said. Harry's attention rose. "What did you learn from it?"

Harry stayed silent for a second. He wanted to make sure he said everything in the right way.

"The book talked a lot about what people believed the Dark Arts to be. They talked about how some people say that dark means bad when it really means that they aren't understood. I think that the parts about Dark creatures is smart because I don't think you should hate something for just existing."

"What about the parts that involve magic? Do you think you can justify the use of Dark magic for the right reason?" Quirrell inquired.

"Well… I guess. W-When I killed the troll I used a spell I learned in charms so that's probably true. It would have hurt me." Harry didn't understand a lot of what the book spoke of but he got the point of it. Harry was really starting to see his Professor's point of view.

"Remember Harry that Magic isn't something that should be restricted. It's something that needs to be free."

Quirrell's gaze once again had turned icy. "Do you know what yesterday's holiday was?"

Harry was confused. Was his professor trying to trick him? "Uhm yes sir yesterday was Christmas?"

"No. Yesterday was not that Christian monstrosity. Yesterday was Yule. Yule is celebrated by wizards as a day when our magic is most connected to the earth. Much like Samhain. Christmas is from the religion that would like to burn us at the stake. Those are not people that we should ever be associating with."

Harry thought about it Maybe that's why the Dursley's hadn't wanted him.

"Know this. Muggles have always been afraid of what they do not understand. That is why our world and theirs should never mix. We are not likeminded…. Their religion is _poison_."

"What about the muggleborn then?" Harry asked. This issue had been plaguing him for weeks. He was very confused by it.

"Yes, the muggleborn. You see, I do not necessarily have a problem with them. I have an issue with their parents polluting us with their muggle ideology. You see they do not understand the way the wizarding world works so they seek to change it to make it more like the muggle one." Quirrell smiled. Harry tried to understand.

"Like Voldemort sir?"

"What?" Quirrell's head sharply turned. Harry faltered, "I ah- just meant the part about remaking the world."

They fell into silence again. Quirrell seemed to be upset over Harry's answer but Harry had no idea what he had done wrong.

"That will be all for today. There is another book on the desk. Read it and begin to practice."

Harry got up quietly as he thought of the conversation. As he picked up his book to leave he stopped.

"I'm sorry if I upset you in any way Professor." Harry said awkwardly.

Quirrell gave him a frosty smile. "Your curiosity is natural when it comes to subjects such as this."

"Right. Well I'll be off sir if you don't need anything else -"

"Do you know the difference between them?" Quirrell smirked. "The muggleborn and Lord Voldemort?"

"I don't sir."

"He's willing to do anything to gain power. He doesn't care about anything but power which is why he almost one the last time he rose to power."

"Thanks sir I did not know that." Harry headed towards the door.

"I enjoyed our chat Harry Potter. I do hope that we will have another one very soon."

That night Harry once again slipped under his Cloak and made his way to the mirror. He dropped his Cloak on the floor and sat down, gazing at his family who were all waving at him happily.

"When I said soon I did not mean that soon."

Harry whipped his head around to Quirrell looking at him with mild bemusement. "Professor! Sorry for being out of bed." Harry said.

"Well what is this?" Quirrell walked over and picked up the Cloak to study it. "Where did you get this from? This is very well done."

"Someone sent it to me at Christmas. It was my father's," Harry said, confused. Shouldn't he be getting detention right now?

Quirrell's eyes narrowed. "Your fathers? How very _very_ interesting."

He then turned to look at the mirror. "Ahh I see you have discover this old mirror."

"Er, Professor what does it do?"

"It is a cheap trick that pulls humans towards it much like a siren song."

"So it doesn't do anything else but lets you see what you want," he said slowly.

"The Mirror of Erised was created to trick people. It's a very dark artifact. Unbelievably dangerous."

"Dangerous? How?" Harry asked with raised brows. He had quite liked his time in front of the mirror.

"People have died in front of this mirror. Seeing what you really want can haunt you. It makes this mirror reality seem much better than actual reality."

They stood in silence, side by side standing in front of the mirror. Finally Harry looked away.

Quirrell turned. "Let us go. For those who stay too long go mad and that will not be me."

Harry gave one last look at his parents before turning. Quirrell eyed him as Harry whipped the tear's from his eyes. "Sorry sir… they just seem so real."

Quirrell shrugged. "But they aren't. This is a lie. Remember this Mr. Potter, lying to others is fine. But never lie to yourself, then you are a fool."

Harry thought about this. Professor Quirrell seemed to be a very smart man. He always had an answer for any of his questions.

"Come along. I would much rather be in bed at this time."

"Alright sir," Harry replied without making any fuss.

"Instead of chasing fool's errands like that mirror, read. Go to the library. Knowledge is much more important than this."

"What is do you mean sir?" Harry asked.

"What I mean by that is that your time in school should not be about your friends or even your enjoyment. It should be about amassing as much knowledge and power," Quirrell explained at Harry's puzzled frown.

"Wait can I not be friends with Luna or Draco?"

"No be friends with those on your level but do not stoop to people who are not worth your time. You must balance your life as well."

"Oh, alright sir."

Quirrell seemed happy with Harry. "Off to bed, then."

"Yes sir. Goodnight."

Harry walked through the common room with his mind whirling. He would have to go to the Library tomorrow so that he could start trying harder. He lay down only to feel a sense of urgency enter him.

For the second night in a row he did not to get to sleep.

As he unwrapped his turban he felt a sense of pride. The Potter boy was coming around to the idea's he'd been putting in his head. With Dumbledore obsessed with his golden boy he was able to influence Potter without any hindrance.

The boy was perfect. Young. No relatives to inform of his closeness to him. And desires knowledge. It was just so easy to make him kill that Troll. It had made his Master feel so much stronger than he had in months. The boy was all alone in the world and so easy to manipulate. As his master took in a breath Quirrell shuddered.

" _The boy will be an easy pawn we can use against Longbottom. We must make him hate Longbottom. Both he and his odd little friend must loathe the boy who lived to their cores."_ Voldemort whispered.

"Yes my Lord," Quirrell simpered, "Anything you need. What should the boy have to do first?"

 _"Do not worry for you see I have a plan."_ Voldemort grinned.

 **That is another chapter folks. Just want to give a shout out to all the people who comment as it gives me more motivation. I enjoy writing for Quirrell as we never really got to see who he was. Please review and tell me what you enjoyed!**


	6. The Woods

After the break, Harry continued in his secret lessons with Quirrell. He even told Luna about them to which she just smiled and said that she knew. For January he just practised the hexes the book talk about. He imagined casting stinging hexes on those bullies back at the orphanage. That was the way he fueled his magic.

Harry was truly happy. So happy that it didn't bother him that Quirrell gave him a detention in DADA that was unfair. Harry couldn't seem to be bothered though. He was a little bit annoyed that the detention would be at midnight with Neville, Ron and Hermione. When he had met them at Filch's office it was awkward to say the least.

The four students were led outside in the black of night to Hagrid's hut by Mr. Filch. Harry was the odd man out with the trio. They all stayed to the right if Filch and Harry walked alone on his left side. Filch seamed oddly gleeful to be walking children at night.

"A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming. I'm surprised young Malfoy got Snape to keep him from this." Filch lamented with a look of sentimental yearning. Harry gulped at the comment. When he had been bad at the orphanage they had spanked him and even that he didn't like. He couldn't imagine being in the dark dungeons like that.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest." Filch cackled. Harry scoffed at that. He knew like everyone else that the dark forest was forbidden. Hagrid appeared with a crossbow. Harry was still shocked at the size of the man. He sniffled and blew his nose into a tablecloth sizes handkerchief. Filch grunted, "A sorry lot this, Hagrid. Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?"

Hagrid sniffed, "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."

"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind." Hermione said.

"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all." Hagrid argued. Harry frowned, "Aren't dragons supposed to be dangerous? They shouldn't really be near a school."

For some reason, Neville and Ron both shot him dark looks. He looked away. Obviously, they weren't looking to become his friend. Filch gave Hagrid a frigid glare, "Oh, for Gods sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you."

"The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there." Harry turned to Filch frantically. He tried to think of any reason. "Students aren't allowed. And there are...werewolves!"

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that." Filch gave Harry a nasty smile. "Don't worry the headmaster himself made sure that this was approved. Nighty-night."

"Right. Let's go." Hagrid said. He looked at them expectantly. Finally, they walked into the forest with Lanterns. In the forest the group walked along the path, it was dark but Harry still saw the reflective substance on the ground. Hagrid stopped, bent down and dipped his fingers into the silver puddle. He pulled out his fingers and rubs them together. A silver trail smeared with his fingers. Harry had no idea what it was but he didn't think it was a good sign.

"Hagrid, w-what's that?" Neville said, shaking.

"What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something. So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me." Hagrid pointed at the two of them.

"Okay…" Ron weakly replied looking down at the blood again

"And Neville, you'll go with Potter." Harry grimaced. He would be alone with another first year in the dark forest at night. He didn't care that Longbottom was with him he cared about safety. He looked to see Hagrid's large dog and his eyes light up. "Okay. Then I get Fang!"

"Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward." Hagrid said with a shrug. This again had alarm bell's ringing in his head. He just had to get through the night he told himself. He and Neville began to make there way. Walking through the forest, with Fang leading. Harry gripped the lamp tightly.

"I think that I should tell Flitwick about this. First years looking for monster's alone in the dark forest isn't what I think detention usually is." Harry said hoping Neville would feel the same. To his disappointment, Neville immediately sent him a dark glare, "If I didn't know better, Harry, I'd say you were scared."

"S-scared I'm not scared!" Harry tried to defend himself but Neville rolled his eyes and walked ahead of him. Harry wanted to kick himself for seeming like a baby. The pair approached a small alcove with gnarled roots jutting out from the ground. Fang stopped, growling at the darkness.

"What is it, Fang?" Neville said, voice barely above a whisper.

Up ahead, a cloaked figure crouched over a dead unicorn, drinking its blood. The figure raised its head, silver blood dripping from its mouth. Neville gasped and grabbed his scar. Harry grabbed onto Neville.

"W-we should go!"

They took off running along side Fang, who was whimpering. The figure glided after them hissing all the while. Suddenly, there was the sound of hoofbeats. Harry felt his foot get stuck in a root and fell face forward into the ground. And with that he saw black.

A figure in front of Neville and landed near the cloaked figure. It had the four legs, like a stallion but it had the body of a man. It rears, and the cloaked figure retreated, flying away.

It rears, and the cloaked figure retreats, flying away.

"Neville Longbottom, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you." The creature said. Neville was shocked by this. "But what was that thing you saved me from?"

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life." It explained. Neville watched in awe as the man bent his legs down. He seemed to have a silver glow to him.

"But who would choose such a life?" Neville asked with a frown.

"Can you think of no one?" Neville realized the man who must have done this. The very man who was responsible for the death of his parents. He paused, "Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...that was drinking its blood...that was Voldemort?"

"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" Neville gasped in realization, "The Philosopher's Stone!"

Abruptly, Fangs barking interrupted the conversation. Neville looked up to see Hagrid, Hermione, and Ron appear.

"Neville!" Hermione gasped as she ran to him, tackling him in a hug. Hagrid seemed relived at the sight of his old friend, "Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Longbottom, you all right there, Neville?"

Neville gave Hagrid a smile and Hagrid returned it. Firenze looked at Neville, "Neville Longbottom, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck."

As they left the forest not one of them thought of Harry Potter, who was at that time in face down in the dirt. Above him stood the figure of Lord Voldemort. Quirrell was pushed down, lying dormant within him. Voldemort looked at the youth feeling a sense of pride. This boy would hate just like a young Tom Riddle had hated. He would grow up into a world where he served him, all in time.

Luna woke up the next morning and prepared like any other day. She made sure to look for any invisible Bugaboo's that tried to steal her favourite charms but found none. She skipped down to the great hall ready to inform Harry about her dreams from the previous night.

When she found that he was not at the Ravenclaw table she asked Anthony Goldstein. He looked at her puzzled he had believe that Harry was with Luna as they sometime took breakfast outside and ate it in the greenhouse. She began to feel a wrinkle of fear in her stomach as she walked over to Draco, Theo and Blaise who were at the Slytherin table.

"Hello Luna want to play exploding snaps with Theo and I while Draco obsesses over his potions Essay?" Blaise said with his trademark smirk she had come to know and love. Theo smiled at her kindly, "I received a book on creatures from my Uncle in Russia if you want to look at it."

Luna tried to smile but she was really starting to panic which made Draco put his essay down, "Luna is something wrong?"

"I just haven't seen Harry at all today and the boys in his dorm didn't see him and I'm really worried. He had detention last night with Neville and his friends and I-I just-" And with that Luna burst into tears. She was so scared Harry was hurt and the idea that her best friend was in trouble was too much for the young girl. She had never been quite good at making friends and after her mother died she hadn't even tried. When Harry had first started talking to her on that train she had been shocked and happily surprised. She let out a shocked sob, as the rest of the Slytherin table looked over in shock.

All three boys were quite alarmed by this. While they had all been raised to be polite, girls crying in front of them was not something they knew how to deal with. Draco and Blaise got her seated at the table and Theo had poured her a glass of water. Daphne Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson walked over and started rubbing her shoulders. Daphne cast a charm to take away the redness from her eyes and Pansy cast another that braided her hair out of her face. Finally, they both gave her hugs and glared at the three boys for their ineptitude.

"Okay maybe we should talk to Longbottom and his friends." Draco said with disgust. Luna looked at them with tearful eyes, "No! I don't think Harry would want anyone getting into a fight and you Draco Malfoy most certainty would!"

Draco blushed and then went silent. Luna stood and sighed. "I'll go talk to Neville. You wait here. And-" She looked at the girls who had comforted her, "Thank you."

Daphne and Pansy smiled as Luna walked over to the Gryffindor table. As she stood near to Neville, Ron Weasley jumped at the sight of her. "Bloody Merlin! Who the hell are you?!"

Luna smiled. Hermione wacked Ron, "Language Ronald! I'm sorry everyone this is Loonie-"

Hermione froze in horror at the choice of her words. Luna's smile didn't change but inside her heart plummeted. She had thought that these three had seemed nice but apparently, they thought she was crazy like everyone else.

"Luna Lovegood." Hermione finished cheeks hot with embarrassment. Luna gave them her best smile, "Hello I was just wondering if you'd seen my friend Harry anywhere. None of the boys in his dorm had seen him and I'm really worried."

All three of them went white as a sheet. Neville looked at his friends nervously. "I don't really remember, last night was a bit of a blur."

Luna tried not to cry again. She smiled the best she could and thanked them before walking calmly up towards the Teacher's table. Professor Flitwick was sitting beside Snape and McGonagall quietly discussing something. Luna waited until they noticed her. Flitwick making a squeak as he saw her.

"Ms. Lovegood! Is there something you need?" Flitwick said with a kind smile. She nodded rapidly before speaking rapidly, "Harry had detention last night and he didn't come back and now I can't find him and I'm really worried Professor!"

Flitwick looked alarmed as did both Snape and McGonagall. Snape's eyes narrowed. "Who did Potter have supervising his detention?"

"Ugh That'd be me Severus." A guilty looking Hagrid raised a massive hand a couple seats down. Flitwick was getting worried as well. What had happened to Harry Potter?

 **Little bit of a cliff hanger! Hope you guys like this. Please leave a review and tell me how you felt!**


	7. The Spider

**So I feel that some stuff needs to be addressed as many have been asking questions about this. First off Neville is not a copy of Harry from the books. He is also not a copy of Neville from the books. In this story Neville was raised by Alice's parents. I believe that Neville would have turned out much differently if he wasn't under Augusta Longbottom's thumb. He won't be the same as book Harry and the divergences will start to happen in the second and third book.**

 **Second, Harry is very much different than he is in the books. He isn't as shy and isn't very courageous. He's also very jealous of Neville. He's very young so the reason this book is going to be dark is the transition from sweet little eleven year old boy to powerful evil dark wizard isn't in the first couple chapters.**

 **Third, LUNA IS IN HARRY'S YEAR BECAUSE I WANT HER TO BE! Sorry that's the way I made it so that's the way it is. I want Harry to have a best friend who won't be dark.**

 **As a writer, I have taken some creative liberties with this story and if you don't like it then you don't have to read it. I do welcome critics though. Particularly people who spot the many mistakes that I make. Sorry Folks, don't have a beta.**

 **Thank you for your comments and favourites. Anyone who comments, I really appreciate you.**

Harry Potter couldn't feel his arm. He felt very stupid as he hadn't brought his wand with him to detention. When he had finally awoken his back had been pulsating with pain. He looked around but only saw trees.

"Help!" He screamed in a hoarse voice. "Please somebody!"

He could see that it was daylight which meant he must have been in the forest all night. He thought about the creature and his heart stilled. Was it still roaming among the trees, had it found him? Was it waiting for him to stand just to strike him down. He felt very foolish for shouting. He tried to move his left arm and that attempt was met by piercing agony running down along his side.

Harry then attempt to crawl only with his right arm. Finally after a long period of time and a very short distance travelled he stopped. Catching his breath, he began to think about Luna. He hoped that she would be alright. While Ravenclaw had never openly bullied her they hadn't been very open when Harry wasn't there. He hated that the world was so cruel to good people. He looked up again to see that the sky light coming in through the trees was beginning to darken and he felt fear grip him. Did anybody even know where he was?

He began to think of Neville Longbottom. The stupid prat. Leaving him here to die. Hermione and Ron were no better. He thought of how everyone had treated Neville, like he was a god or something. He never studied and was barely above average. Harry studied every night and still didn't receive any kind of attention.

He thought back to the spells that Quirrell had been teaching them. He wanted to make them feel like he felt right now. He would wipe that smirk off of the boy who lied's face.

Now that night had come he had begun to shiver. He didn't have anything to cover himself with and the hard soil beneath him was cold. He tried to think of Luna, Draco and Blaise. He hoped they'd remember him. He smiled a bit at the thought of Hagrid and Neville getting into trouble for his death.

As the night went on something began to contend with the shivers. His thirst. He realized he had not had anything to drink in a day and a bit. His mouth was so dry it was like sandpaper. The cold had taken a backseat to his thirst which was beginning to consume him.

 _You must drink._ A voice spoke out from the darkness. Harry couldn't even raise his head enough to see. He raised his head to see something lying in front of him. It was pure light to his eyes. The figure was lying down. " _You must drink or you will perish."_

He reached up to feel the creature. Warmth. He used what strength he had left to pull himself towards the light. He ignored the pain from his shoulder and back and pushed forward. His hands came up onto the warmth.

 _Bite it. Tear it's flesh._ He had no choice. As he bit down he felt a relief flood his body. Hot liquid began to fill his mouth. He looked up towards the figure standing over him. He felt the light closing in around him and his body was shutting down. As his eyes dimmed he heard something. _Very good boy, so very good._

Harry had been missing for a week and a half. For the first two days it had been fine. They had been searching the grounds and had been confident that they would find the young boy. Hagrid had marked a path and the seventh years had volunteered to help even with NEWTs coming up.

The board had been alerted and Albus Dumbledore had felt that everything would resolve itself. He had only wanted to expose Neville a bit to the dangers of the world. He was a good boy. Being raised by his mother's parents. They had been kind people and so Neville would be kind. But Albus knew that it the boy needed to be toughened up for his role. He would succeed Albus as leader of the light wizards of Great Britain.

But as the missing boy was not found after seven days, people had started to worry. The Daily Profit had printed a scathing editorial that called him a child abuser and even the Quibbler, a paper he had only read for there rather outrageous articles, had began to call him a bad headmaster.

He had been watching Harry Potter. The boy was nothing like his father and mother. He had to admit that he hadn't been keeping track of the boy. As he now discovered, the boy was living in a muggle orphanage. When he had read that he had begun to felt a bit sick. Another boy years ago had come from an orphanage. That boy that was now a deformed psychopath that was trying to sneak into the castle to steal the stone.

Tom was behind this. He was trying to lead the boy astray. Albus knew that they had to find the boy soon or he'd be lost. This was what confused Albus. Harry Potter was not the boy who lived. Yet he was the next closest thing. Born on the same day as Neville yet Tom didn't choose him.

He walked from his private chambers into his office. He was met by his deputy Headmistress Minerva, Severus Snape, Professor Flitwick and two others. He was quite displeased that Lucius Malfoy and Minister Fudge were there. He knew that Lucius smelled blood and would try to get rid of him while Fudge was ruled by public opinion. He had to get just a while longer. Even if the boy perished. Neville defeating the dark lord on the third floor would shift public opinion back in his favour.

"Greetings to all. I would like to just let you know that I do have a lead on what might have happened to the boy." Albus said with his usual smile. He played up the grandfatherly charm so that he could control the room. He knew that both Fudge and Lucius were his enemies. Politically Fudge stayed impartial. While the Light forces within the ministry tried to combat the dark, Fudge was only concerned with his seat as Minister and if that meant that he had to let Dark Arts users have power he was okay with that. Lucius on the other hand was a death eater from the first war who had only succeeded in escaping imprisonment by claiming that he was under the imperious curse. It was an open secret that he had bribed many off so that he could be freed.

"This is bad business Albus, very bad. Had to come. A first year that had to serve detention on the dark forest? People will have my head for this one!" Fudge said. He was sweating profusely and kept dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. Lucius sneered at him, "The board of Governors are quite upset. While half are loyal to you Dumbledore, soon you will not have their support. If the boy is not found your fate will be sealed."

Minerva glared a the two of them, "Lucius I cannot believe that you are taking advantage of a crisis for political reasons! And you Minister! Grow a backbone!"

"Minerva," Albus said with a warm smile, "While it is very kind of you to defend me it isn't necessary. Minister I have just written an open letter that the Daily Profit will publish tomorrow. Lucius, thank you for the concern."

To his surprise Flitwick stepped forward. "If I may Albus, I do have to voice my opinion. Sending a boy that young into the dark forest was not right. And without an adult wizard comforting them it isn't safe. I love Hagrid and believe he is a great man but he isn't able to use magic."

Albus was shocked. Flitwick had always been loyal. He knew that this must be because he felt some kind for pity for the boy. He would have to appear quite sympathetic to the boy from now on. IF he lamented on it as his own failure then Flitwick would see him as the wise man he was. Albus had learned that the way to get most good people to support you was by being humble. If he lay himself at Flitwick's feet then the man would consent. He just gave him a large smile. "I agree with you completely my friend. That is why Hagrid has been talked to and detention is being reformed."

Flitwick nodded and Minerva and Fudge looked satisfied. Lucius just rolled his eyes. He could tell that power had shifted back in his favour. He was happy that the minister was such a weak man. He would fold at the slightest amount of pressure. He crossed his arms. "I believe that the person responsible for the disappearance of Harrold James Potter and the subsequent deaths of multiple Unicorns within the Dark Forest are the work of none other than Lord Voldemort."

To this the room went silent. Fudge looked as if his head was about to explode. Snape and McGonagall shared a look while Lucius tried to look disinterested. He knew that the mention of the Dark Lord would shift attention away from Harry Potter. Hopefully they never found his body. He would just be marked as another victim of the Dark Lord.

"B-but he's- You know who is- he died!" Fudge stammered. Albus moved behind his desk looking out of the window. Below he could see that the search party was returning again. He was happy to see no body.

"The Dark Lord was obsessed with immortality. I believe that he may have found a way to prolong his life through the use of very dark magic." Albus explained. They all began to nod at this. Albus knew he had more time. How much longer? He was unsure. He was sure that Harrold James Potter was most certainly dead.

Luna was angry. It had been two weeks since Harry disappeared and she had felt more upset with every passing day. She had waited hoping that they would find him but finally she was done waiting. She had cried again and again but now she was angry. She got up from her bed in her dorm and grabbed her wand.

She found herself stalking off to the dungeons. When she came to the entrance the Slytherin common room. She began to knock on the door. As no one was answering she tried to knock louder. Finally someone opened the door. It was Marcus Flint. He was scowling down at her, eyes not even fully open.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT!" He screamed directly in her face. Luna looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. "I want you not to yell at me. I want into your common room. I want to find my friend and I want t know where the Nargles are hiding him!"

Flint looked shocked. Being yelled at by a first year was not what he was expecting. He looked at her for a second before turning back around and muttering about how crazy she was. She had completed the first step, she thought as she skipped towards the boy's dorms. As she peeked in she saw the sleeping form of Blaise and moved quietly into the room

When she found all of them tucked into their beds asleep she made her way to Draco. She started to poke his shoulder.

Draco at that time was having a rather marvelous dream about winning the quidditch cup. With Exams coming up he had tried to push quidditch to the back of his mind. When he felt someone tapping his shoulder he pushed the hand away. He thought it was probably Blaise having a nightmare. He had not time for such nonsense.

"Draco it's Luna." He heard a whisper. Draco thought that this dream was quite odd. Luna Lovegood was someone he rarely imagined dreaming about.

"Draco, please get up it really is Luna." He opened one eye to see that Luna Lovegood was standing over his bed. He let out a scream. And grabbed his sheets. "LUNA!"

Luna smiled at him, "Yes I'm Luna, Draco It is May so you'd better learn my name. I am a little hurt that you don't know who I am- "

"What the hell are you doing in my BEDROOM!" Draco shouted again. By this time, Blaise had woken up and SO had Theodore. Luna had waved to a dismayed Theo and a somewhat amused Blaise. Luna sat beside him on his bed.

"Well I'm tired of just waiting for Harry to be found I think we need to try and find hum ourselves." She said as if that was a good reason to be in the Slytherin boys dormitories at two in the morning. She was tapping her foot expectantly, looking down at Draco with a withering gaze. He had not thought that this was what his night would turn out to be.

"To be honest, I agree with Luna." Blaise shrugged. Draco scowled at him, "Your telling me that four first years are going to find someone that the combined might of both the ministry and the best minds at Hogwarts couldn't find."

Luna looked over at Blaise and then at Draco then nodded, "Yes, you see they can't see past the fresh water dirdos."

Draco sighed. There was no point in even arguing with her. She would always say something so far off base that he could even counter it. He grabbed his wand and looked for a coat and heavy pants. This night was going to be interesting.

"This is stupid." Draco said for the tenth time since they entered the forest. Blaise rolled his eyes while Luna and Theo walked up ahead.

"She's really worried and she needs our help. Would you rather let her go off into the woods alone? And anyway, if we do go missing then your father will find us if only to scold you for trying to be a Gryffindor." Blaise explained. Draco smirked at his assessment and they fell back into silence.

"Aha!" Theo shouted. Luna looked back at them. "Come on!"

"What?!" Draco shouted at her. As they came closer he could see a trail of spiders going off of the path. Luna looked at him like he was an idiot. "Didn't your parents tell you that when your in need of something you 'Follow the spiders.' It's quite simple really Draco."

"They're headed off the path! Why spiders! Why would that make sense to anyone?" Draco asked in an exasperated tone. Luna didn't respond as he was discussing spiders.

As they moved further from the trail the spiders seemed to increase in size. Draco was not enjoying the fact that they had gone from being smaller than his finger to the size of small dogs.

"Blaise, I don't like this…I don't like this at all!" Draco said to his friend who was looking up ahead.

"Shush!" Theo cried from ahead of them. Draco walked closer to Luna who had her wand drawn. "Can we go back now?"

"Come on! Stop being a baby." Luna said. To which Draco muttered back, "I am _not a baby!"_

Finally a clearing lay in front of them. The spiders seemed to disappear into the brush. Theo frowned then looked at Luna. "Where did they go?"

The ground shook below them as a huge spider that was about the size of a small elephant with Large pincers and pitch black eyes came through the trees. Draco let out a whimper.

" _Who is it_?" The beast called out. The boys were about to take off when Luna stepped forward. She looked at her friends and whispered, "Don't panic."

" _Hagrid? Is that you?_ " The beast called out again. Draco was shocked. The half giant creature was friends with a colossal spider. Well then again, he wasn't that shocked. Luna edged forward.

"We're- we are friends of Hagrid's. And you? What's your name?" Luna asked. The beast shifted, " _I am Aragog. Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before_."

"We're in trouble. Up at the school, a boy disappeared in the forest and they can't find him. He's my best friend. Like Hagrid was your best friend." Luna said. The creature went quiet. Draco was unsure of how this was possible. Luna might be both the craziest and smartest person he knew. The creature shifted again resting it's hulking body on the ground.

" _I have… My children have told tales of a boy who was taken_." The beast explained.

"Who took him?" Luna asked gently. The beast slammed it's legs on the ground. " _No! We do not speak of him. He has been hunting the Unicorns. If my children get in his way they are murdered."_

"I'm sorry." Theo said to Draco's shock. He had stepped forward and introduced himself to the creature.

"Draco," Blaise breathed. He elbowed hid friend and pointed up. As he looked into the sky, he saw a horde of giant spiders descending. His eyes went wide as he looked at his friend.

"Do you know where my friend is?" Theo asked.

" _To the west, a cave where he has the boy hidden."_ The spider said. Blaise grabbed Theo and dragged him back while Draco tried to manhandle Luna away.

"What?" she said. He pointed up. The colour drained from Luna's face. She turned back to Aragog, "Well, thank you. We'll just...go."

" _Go? I think not._ " The spider almost seemed to laugh _, "My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."_

"Can we panic now?" Draco said to Luna as they tried to exit the clearing. A large spider dropped in front of them. Theo stepped forward, " _Incedio!"_

Flames shot forth onto the spider which screamed but did not collapse. Draco pulled out his wand, brandishing it trying to think of spells.

"Great," Blaise hissed, "Now we have a giant flaming spider!"

" _Flipendo!"_ He shouted. The spider flipped on to it's back. It's legs not squiring trying to flip back. Draco grabbed Luna's hand and raced forward. "Come on!"

As the four ran through the trees they were pursued by the vast number of spiders. Blaise threw back a few cutting charms, slicing a few legs but their were too many.

"We can't out run them Draco!" Theo shouted. Draco knew this. But he had to try. Being eating by spiders was not how he wanted to die. Thundering hooves pounded in his ears and Draco thought it was his mind, but when he felt arms around him he looked to see Centaurs closing in around them.

He was placed on the Centaur's back and he gripped the beast's waist. The spiders began to fade away as they sprinted through the trees. He let out a breath as they slowed. When he slipped off of the back and found himself reunited with his friends he was finally starting to relax. A voice he knew quite well called out to him.

"Hello children. Might I ask what you were doing out of bed after hours?"

He turned to see his godfather, Severus Snape standing before them. He gulped. This wasn't good.

 **All done! Please send in a review and tell me what you like!**


	8. The Wounds

Albus Dumbledore smiled as he watched Harry Potter being levitated into a bed in Madam Pomfrey's office. With the help of four first year students, Harry Potter, was now safe. He had been fretting over the boy. Now that the ministry was off of his back he no longer had to focus on this distraction. He could continue to help Neville and his friends along in their journey. He had to make sure the boy was ready. With all of his extra training before Hogwarts, Neville looked like he was gifted, but Albus worried that the boy was still not as powerful as he'd hoped.

Harry's skin was mangled, he had been beaten, with what looked like a whip of some kind, His back, buttocks and thighs were covered in swelling bruises, his chest and upper back had long cuts, all infected as he had been lying in the dirt. He had been in a magical coma as it was to keep him still as they tried to heal him. Albus felt his heart swell. He remembered Lily and James so well. They had been so young, and to have this boy grow up an orphan broke his heart. Yet he was not able to help. He had a job to do. He turned and walked out of the room with a lasting thought.

 _For the greater good._

As midnight approached, with Harry was sound asleep in the infirmary, He had of course woken and been explained the situation by Severus Snape of all people. Harry had a very hollow feeling inside of him. He drank and ate but it didn't satisfy him. His friends had been told to wait for him to adjust before they were able to come and visit. Unbeknownst to Harry, Luna had told Madam Pomfrey that she thought that she was living in a dream world if she thought that she wouldn't visit her best friend.

Luna had stolen Harry's invisibility cloak for this trip. As she quietly made her way closer to the bed she felt a great deal of relief to see that he was alright. She sat down on the edge of his bed and started to poke his big toe. Harry tried to shuffle away with a groan. She continued to poke him until his eye slowly opened. He sat up with a frown evident on his face.

"Who's there?" Harry called out. Luna dropped the cloak and smiled. Harry grinned tackling her in as hug then letting out a small yelp in pain, "Right probably shouldn't do that."

Luna said nothing but smiled. Harry looked down and seemed pensive. "Luna I want to thank you for coming to get me in the woods. I was so scared out there. I was afraid I'd never come back. I-I don't know what I'd do without you."

"It wasn't just me Harry. Draco, Blaise and Theo came and helped." She frowned for a second, "Well I guess Aragog the giant spider also help but then his children tried to eat us so I don't know if those two cancel each other out."

Harry grinned and had Luna recount the adventure that she had gone on with their friends. She told him until he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Luna sat with him the entire night just happy that he was home. This was the first she'd felt truly happy in weeks. It had been a long time coming but Harry was back in her life and she was glad. She lay back beside Harry. They lay hand in hand. Both small enough to share the bed. What she couldn't see was there defense against the Dark Arts Professor watching from a distance.

Quirrell had been watching the boy. He had not expected the little lunatic to find him. She was surprisingly smart. Dumbledore had public opinion again and was back focusing on his little golden boy. While he was disappointed he now was focusing all of his energy on finding that stone.  
Harry Potter could wait a few years before joining his ranks.

Harry Potter made his way through the corridors of the school. No one noticed him as he was not anyone special. Even after disappearing for weeks he was still not considered to be that interesting. At least Draco had cared enough to ask about him. After a month of being back Harry felt different still. He felt a darkness inside of him he couldn't identify. Quirrell had told him anger was normal. That Harry should hate the people who had done these things to him. Neville, Ron and Hermione who were so obsessed with their own fame that they couldn't remember him. That oaf Hagrid that shouldn't be in charge of children in any capacity. And mostly Dumbledore. He hated that old man that probably hadn't learned his name till after he was kidnapped. The man had sent for him and Harry had grudgingly accepted.

While his wounds had healed he had massive scars on his back that the potions and healing charms could not undo. It was a very unfortunate incident Madame Pomfery had told him. Another thing that made him dislike the woman.

As he approached the gargoyle which blocked the entrance to the headmaster's office, the young boy became overwhelmingly anxious. He would have to hid any kind of bitterness that he had been feeling and just act as if everything would be okay. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had to think of all the good things about Hogwarts and push away the bad. He whispered the name of a muggle candy that he had been told was the password.

As the revolving staircase cascaded down towards him, he took a few calming breaths and tried to stay calm. He had been having trouble as of late with his breathing. He carefully made sure that his unruly hair was gelled completely down as to not look homeless, as Draco had told him. He began to walk slowly up the staircase.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs he knocked on the door and heard the man say for him to enter. As he opened the door he saw the wizened old man sitting behind his desk with a faint smile on his face. He was examining Harry quite thoroughly as he walked towards the headmaster.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, thank you for coming. Please do take a seat and we will begin." Professor Dumbledore told him. Harry nodded and sat on the lumpy chair that was obviously made for someone much bigger than he. He looked up at the man expectantly.

"The reason that I have asked for you to be here is to talk about your terrible time in the woods. I really am so sorry for this but we must find the person who took you." Dumbledore continued.

"Well sir, I don't know how much I can tell you, I don't remember all that much of what had happened." Harry answered looking down at his shoes.

"Well I still need to know anything that you may recall." The professor said meeting Harry's eyes with great interest. He held the boy's gaze, probing his mind before seeing shrouds of shadows. "What can you tell me about the man that was near you Mr. Potter?"

"He was- I don't know much but he whispered things. Dark things, sir."

"And did he ever force you to do anything, Mr. Potter?"

"He- well after a while, I don't know how long but I was so very thirsty and- I don't know what it was but he made me drink it, he would then hit me and tell me to remember those who caused this."

Dumbledore silently observed Harry with his piercing gaze for a long time. As the silence proceeded well past awkward, Harry forced himself not to ask to leave. After what felt like years, Dumbledore finally broke the silence.

"Years ago I met a man who tried to bring me down the wrong path. He was smart and interesting and taught me many things indeed. He made me feel isolated and that only he was my true friend. He tried to turn me against those who really mattered," Dumbledore remarked with an small smile.

"What happened?" _._ Harry asked, sullen.

"He turned out in the end, to have no one. He made a very large mistake in thinking that he was better than everyone else. You see, he never really understood love and what it's true value was."

"Why are you telling me about this sir? Is this about the man who took me?"

"Maybe." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "Then again maybe not. After all we never really know about these things I believe. You see I always believed that Tom was inspired partly because of my dear Gellert."

Harry stayed silent. He was quite confused by these names and had no idea of how they related to the man in the woods. He had never really spoken to his Headmaster before and it was a quite odd. The man was not how he seemed.

"What about the man is he still out there? Do you think he will take me again?" Harry questioned. He had woken up in fear many nights at the thought of the man in the forest taking him away.

"No, I believe that he is now quite obsessed with another matter. With summer coming soon he will be focused on that." Dumbledore gave him a reassuring smile.

"Out of curiosity," Harry asked, "Is it usual for first years to have to go into the forbidden forest? Because I really have not interest in going back in."

Dumbledore seemed to be slightly annoyed at those words, but he hid it well. Only the twinkle left his eyes a bit. "While it was unusual it wasn't unheard of. Remember dear boy that this is a magical school and you are quite safe."

Harry mentally cringed at this. He had a pretty good idea of how unsafe it was in that forest. He asked, "Is that all that you wanted to talk to me about sir?"

Dumbledore nodded and Harry rose from his seat, aching to leave the office. He looked over to see the headmaster before opening the door.

Just as Harry was about to descend the staircase Dumbledore spoke again, "Mr. Potter, are you sure there isn't anything further you wish to discuss?"

"No, sir, nothing at all." Harry said evasively.

"Good night, sir," Harry told him as he left the office rather abruptly.

"Good night, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said softly as the door closed behind the young boy.

 **Another chapter done! Review it please and leave me a comment!**


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